Trial Outcomes & Findings for taVNS Paired With Bottle Feeding in Infants Failing Oral Feeds (NCT NCT04643808)

NCT ID: NCT04643808

Last Updated: 2023-10-30

Results Overview

Number of infants who maintained full daily PO intake for 4 days (\>120 ml/kg/day) and gained weight adequate for discharge (\>20 g/day) were classified as 'Responders'.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

EARLY_PHASE1

Target enrollment

35 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

3 weeks

Results posted on

2023-10-30

Participant Flow

Neonatal intensive Care Unit

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
taVNS Once Daily
taVNS paired with bottle feeding once daily for 2-3 weeks transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation: Microcurrent stimulation delivered to the left tragus, with stimulation 'on' during sucking from a bottle, and 'off' at rest during bottle feeding
taVNS Twice Daily
taVNS paired with bottle feeding twice daily for 2-3 weeks transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation: Microcurrent stimulation delivered to the left tragus, with stimulation 'on' during sucking from a bottle, and 'off' at rest during bottle feeding
Overall Study
STARTED
14
21
Overall Study
COMPLETED
14
21
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
0
0

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

averaged over 7days prior to starting taVNS treatment

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
taVNS Once Daily
n=14 Participants
taVNS paired with bottle feeding once daily for 2-3 weeks Infants born preterm or near term/term HIE infants who failed to make progress in PO volumes, and were clinically determined to require a G-tube due to failure to achieve oral feeds sufficient for discharge from the hospital.
taVNS Twice Daily
n=21 Participants
taVNS paired with bottle feeding twice daily for 2-3 weeks Infants born preterm or near term/term HIE infants who failed to make progress in PO volumes, and were clinically determined to require a G-tube due to failure to achieve oral feeds sufficient for discharge from the hospital.
Total
n=35 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Continuous
44 post menstrual age in months ofgestation
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.8 • n=99 Participants
42.1 post menstrual age in months ofgestation
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.8 • n=107 Participants
42.8 post menstrual age in months ofgestation
STANDARD_DEVIATION 3.8 • n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
9 Participants
n=99 Participants
10 Participants
n=107 Participants
19 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
5 Participants
n=99 Participants
11 Participants
n=107 Participants
16 Participants
n=206 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
1 Participants
n=99 Participants
1 Participants
n=107 Participants
2 Participants
n=206 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
13 Participants
n=99 Participants
20 Participants
n=107 Participants
33 Participants
n=206 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
7 Participants
n=99 Participants
10 Participants
n=107 Participants
17 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
7 Participants
n=99 Participants
11 Participants
n=107 Participants
18 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
change in ml/kg/d po
-0.6 ml/kg/d consumed orally (po)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.8 • n=99 Participants • averaged over 7days prior to starting taVNS treatment
0.03 ml/kg/d consumed orally (po)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 3.6 • n=107 Participants • averaged over 7days prior to starting taVNS treatment
-0.23 ml/kg/d consumed orally (po)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.1 • n=206 Participants • averaged over 7days prior to starting taVNS treatment

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 3 weeks

Population: Responders who achieved full oral feeds and weight gain adequate for discharge

Number of infants who maintained full daily PO intake for 4 days (\>120 ml/kg/day) and gained weight adequate for discharge (\>20 g/day) were classified as 'Responders'.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
taVNS Once Daily
n=14 Participants
taVNS paired with bottle feeding once daily for 2-3 weeks
taVNS Twice Daily
n=21 Participants
taVNS paired with bottle feeding twice daily for 2-3 weeks
Number of Infants Who Took All Feeds by Mouth (Responders)
8 Participants
11 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 7 days

The change in ml/kg/d of oral feeds over the 7 days during taVNS-paired feeds

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
taVNS Once Daily
n=14 Participants
taVNS paired with bottle feeding once daily for 2-3 weeks
taVNS Twice Daily
n=21 Participants
taVNS paired with bottle feeding twice daily for 2-3 weeks
ml/kg/d Increase Over 7d During taVNS
3.9 ml/kg/d increase over 7d
Standard Deviation 4.2
6.0 ml/kg/d increase over 7d
Standard Deviation 4.16

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: change from baseline to week 3

changes in radial kurtosis diffusion in Corticospinal tracts at the cerebellar peduncles assessed per week of treatment, change from baseline to week 3 reported. Kurtosis is a dimensionless summary statistic that quantifies the amount of non-Gaussianity within the tissue on a scale from 0 to infinity. Higher values indicate greater complexity in the white matter tract. The scale has no title other than diffusion kurtosis.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
taVNS Once Daily
n=9 Participants
taVNS paired with bottle feeding once daily for 2-3 weeks
taVNS Twice Daily
n=11 Participants
taVNS paired with bottle feeding twice daily for 2-3 weeks
Neuroplasticity as Measured by the Change in White Matter Tract Integrity Via Fractional Anisotropy
0.07 kurtosis units on a scale
Standard Deviation .02
0.02 kurtosis units on a scale
Standard Deviation .02

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 3 weeks, during taVNS sessions

bradycardic episodes = heart rate \<80 beats per minute for 5 seconds

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
taVNS Once Daily
n=14 Participants
taVNS paired with bottle feeding once daily for 2-3 weeks
taVNS Twice Daily
n=21 Participants
taVNS paired with bottle feeding twice daily for 2-3 weeks
Number of Episodes of Bradycardia
1 bradycardic events
0 bradycardic events

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 30min treatment session

Population: total number of treatment sessions for all participants

Number of treatment sessions with sustained increase of 3 points in Neonatal and Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) scores from before to during taVNS: NIPS recorded at before, midway, and at the end of each treatment session. NIPS scores range from 0 (no discomfort) to 7 (maximum discomfort). An increase of 3 points on the NIPS scale indicates more discomfort with stimulation.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
taVNS Once Daily
n=228 treatment sessions
taVNS paired with bottle feeding once daily for 2-3 weeks
taVNS Twice Daily
n=623 treatment sessions
taVNS paired with bottle feeding twice daily for 2-3 weeks
Number of Treatment Sessions With Sustained Increase in 'Neonatal and Infant Pain Scale' (NIPS) Scores During taVNS
3 treatment sessions
0 treatment sessions

Adverse Events

taVNS Once Daily

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

taVNS Twice Daily

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 1 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Dr Dorothea Jenkins

Medical Univesristy of South Carolina

Phone: 843-792-2112

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place