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Recovery of Oxytocin Responsiveness in Pregnant Human Myometrial Explants After Oxytocin-Induced Desensitization: an In-vitro Analysis of Oxytocin Receptor Expression and Signaling

NCT02762669 · Status: TERMINATED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 4

Last updated 2024-08-27

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide, and is caused most commonly by poor uterine muscle contraction after delivery of the baby and placenta. The first line agent used in the prevention and treatment of PPH is oxytocin, which acts by binding with the oxytocin receptor (OTR) found on myometrial cells to cause uterine contraction.

Oxytocin is also used for the augmentation of labor when spontaneous labor has been deemed ineffective. It is administered intravenously at progressively higher doses, until effective contractions are achieved and vaginal delivery results. However, if augmentation is determined to have failed, a Cesarean delivery (CD) is performed.

One of the potential problems with oxytocin use during delivery is that it loses its effectiveness if the uterus has previously been pre-exposed to its high doses and/or for a prolonged duration during labor. This phenomenon is termed OTR desensitization, and can result in the attenuation of myometrial contractility induced by subsequent oxytocin administration, as well as PPH due to poor uterine tone. Furthermore, oxytocin can produce potentially fatal maternal hemodynamic adverse effects when administered at high doses, so it is advantageous to be able to use as low a dose as possible to obtain good uterine muscle tone.

The objective of this study is to get a better understanding of the signaling pathways governing desensitization, resensitization and contractility in pregnant human myometrium. The investigators wish to investigate the effects of increasing recovery period on the expression patterns of the OTR and its signaling pathways in desensitized pregnant human myometrium.

This study will help shed light on the molecular mechanisms responsible for desensitization and oxytocin-induced myometrial contractility, and will provide some insight into potential therapeutic targets to reduce the incidence of PPH and complications associated with using increasing concentrations of oxytocin.

The hypothesis is that the expression and phosphorylation patterns of the OTR and downstream proteins will be altered in desensitized myometrium, and that these patterns will change with increasing rest periods and re-exposure to oxytocin.

Conditions

  • Postpartum Hemorrhage

Interventions

DRUG

Oxytocin

Oxytocin, 10-7mol/L to 10-5mol/L

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Mrinalini Balki, MD · MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL

Study Design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
16 Years
Max Age
40 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2016-08-03
Primary Completion
2023-12-31
Completion
2023-12-31

Countries

  • Canada

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT02762669 on ClinicalTrials.gov