Renal Anhydramnios Fetal Therapy

Summary

Early pregnancy renal anhydramnios (EPRA) is a condition where a pregnant woman does not have any amniotic fluid around her fetus because of a problem with the fetus's kidneys. This condition is thought to be fatal once the fetus is born because of inadequate lung growth. The Renal Anhydramnios Fetal Therapy (RAFT) Trial offers eligible pregnant women with a diagnosis of EPRA an experimental therapy of repeated or serial "amnioinfusions" of fluid into the womb. An amnioinfusion involves placing a small needle through the pregnant woman's skin into the womb next to the fetus. Warm sterile fluid with balanced electrolytes and antibiotics is then slowly infused into amniotic space inside the womb. The aim is to help the fetus's lungs grow enough so he or she can survive after birth. These amnioinfusions will be carried out by an expert in fetal interventions at a RAFT center. There is a significant risk of early rupture of membranes and early delivery in subjects who receive amnioinfusions, and any potential trial participants will be counseled about these risks before they decide whether to join the trial. Any eligible patients who, after counseling, elect to terminate the pregnancy will not be eligible to participate in the trial. All eligible patients who choose to join the RAFT trial will be able to choose their assignment into one of two arms of the study: (1) to receive serial amnioinfusions (2) to not receive amnioinfusions but receive monitoring for the remainder of the pregnancy at the RAFT center. Thus, assignment of patients to study arm will not be random, but will be decided by the participant. Fetuses who do survive after birth will require intensive medical management for kidney failure including placement of a dialysis catheter and dialysis therapy with the eventual need for a kidney transplant. Treatment for lung disease secondary to abnormal lung development may also be required. The study will follow babies and their families until non-survival or transplant.

Update: Due to recommendations from the RAFT trial Data and Safety Monitoring Board, the trial is no longer open to enrollment for pregnancies complicated by bilateral renal agenesis as of July 19, 2022. Enrollment for patients with pregnancies complicated by other causes of fetal renal failure remains open.

Conditions

• Anhydramnios
• Potter Syndrome
• Lung Hypoplasia
• Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney
• Multicystic Renal Dysplasia, Bilateral
• Lower Urinary Tract Obstructive Syndrome
• Fetal Renal Anomaly

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Serial amnioinfusions with isotonic fluid

Amnioinfusions will be performed by an expert in fetal procedures with a 20 or 22 gauge needle using sterile technique and ultrasound guidance. Local anesthetic will be employed. The fluid will consist of warmed isotonic fluid. Infusions may take up to 1 hour.

DEVICE

Spinal needle

A 20 or 22 gauge spinal needle will be used with sterile technique to access the uterus under ultrasound guidance and to infuse isotonic fluid.

DRUG

Isotonic fluid

Isotonic fluids, including normal saline or lactated ringers solution, will be infused into the uterus through a spinal needle under ultrasound guidance using sterile technique. This fluid will act as replacement amniotic fluid.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

  collaborator NIH

• Johns Hopkins University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Meredith Atkinson · Johns Hopkins University

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-12-21

Primary Completion

2025-03-10

Completion

2030-02-28

FDA Drug

Yes

Countries

• United States

Study Locations