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CompletedNCT00732537Updated Aug 12, 2008

Inhaled Nitric Oxide by Oxygen Hood in Neonates

A Phase 4 interventional study of inhaled Nitric Oxide and Oxygen (>90% by hood) - standard therapy in Respiratory Failure, Infant and Persistent Fetal Circulation, sponsored by University of Alabama at Birmingham. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 1 Hour to 1 Week. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2008-08-12.

Sponsored by University of Alabama at Birmingham · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
8
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
1 Hour to 1 Week
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) improves oxygenation in term infants with respiratory failure. However, iNO has been primarily used in infants receiving mechanical ventilation. This study is a pilot study to determine if iNO given into an oxygen hood is effective in improving oxygenation in term and near-term infants who have poor oxygenation but who are not yet mechanically ventilated.

Read the detailed description

Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is currently used in the management of ventilated neonates with hypoxemic respiratory failure. We have shown that iNO administered by oxygen hood reduces pulmonary vascular resistance in hypoxia- and group B streptococcus-induced pulmonary hypertension in an animal model (J Perinatol 2002; 22:50-6). Our objective was to determine the feasibility of iNO administration by oxygen hood in neonates with respiratory failure. Methods: A masked randomized controlled trial was performed on eight infants with respiratory failure. Inclusion criteria were: gestation>34 weeks, age\<7 days, with post-ductal arterial line, and A-aDO2 400-600 on two consecutive blood gases. Infants were randomized to study gas (iNO at 20 ppm or equivalent flow of O2) for 1 hr which was then weaned over the next 4 hours. The iNO was introduced into an oxygen hood using an INOvent (INO Therapeutics, Inc). The primary outcome was the PaO2 one hour after randomization. Environmental leakage of NO and NO2 were measured. Results: Four infants were randomized to iNO and four to O2 (controls). Two of the four infants given iNO had an increase in PaO2 of >100 mm Hg, while oxygenation was unchanged in the controls. Methemoglobinemia and other adverse effects were not noted in any infant. Environmental levels of NO and NO2 were minimal (\<1ppm) to undetectable at >0.3m from the hood. Conclusions: Administration of iNO by oxygen hood is feasible. Larger randomized controlled trials are required to measure the efficacy and determine an appropriate target population for this technique.

02

Conditions studied

  • Respiratory Failure
  • Infant
  • Persistent Fetal Circulation

Keywords

  • Hypoxia
  • Respiratory failure
  • Infant, term
  • Nitric oxide
03

In context

Respiratory Insufficiency

1,675 studies on the registry are indexed under Respiratory Insufficiency; 300 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 8 is below the median of 55 across 1,056 interventional studies indexed under Respiratory Insufficiency.

Browse Respiratory Insufficiency studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Alabama at Birmingham is the lead sponsor of 1,415 studies on the registry; 277 are open to participants now.

Of its 160 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 128 (80%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
1 Hour to 1 Week
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • gestation >34 weeks at birth
  • age \<7 days
  • post-ductal arterial line
  • an A-aDO2 of 400 to 600 on two blood gases, at least 30 minutes apart.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Infants with major malformations
  • Infants with cardiac disease
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Care provider, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
8 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Inhaled Nitric Oxide

    iNO started at 20 ppm for 1 hour. The gas was then weaned hourly over the next 4 hours (20 ppm to 10 to 5 to 2.5 to 1 to off).

    Drug: inhaled Nitric Oxide

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    The Oxygen at high concentration (\>90%), which was standard therapy for PPHN, was introduced into an oxygen hood (Oxydome ™ disposable hood from Maxtex ® Inc.) using an INOvent (Datex-Ohmeda).

    Drug: Oxygen (>90% by hood) - standard therapy

Interventions

  • iNO started at 20 ppm for 1 hour, then weaned hourly over the next 4 hours (20 ppm to 10 to 5 to 2.5 to 1 to off). If \>5% drop in oxygen saturation was observed during weaning, study gas was increased to the previous concentration and weaning done 2 hourly. If \> 5% drop in oxygen saturation or \>5% Methemoglobin was observed during initial administration, the study gas would be weaned over 30 minutes and the infant would exit. The iNO was introduced into an oxygen hood (Oxydome ™ disposable hood from Maxtex ® Inc.) using an INOvent (Datex-Ohmeda). The INOvent ® was connected to the oxyhood by placing the injector module inline on the dry side of the humidifier chamber. Monitoring of O2, NO2, NO was done by placing the end of the sample line inside the oxyhood. A "Masking Shield" covered the Display/Control Panel and Cylinder Gauges, in order to maintain masking of the intervention. Only the respiratory therapist and research coordinator was aware of the allocation assignment.

    Also known as: iNO, Nitric Oxide

  • Oxygen (\>90% by hood, standard therapy for PPHN prior to intubation) was introduced into an oxygen hood (Oxydome ™ disposable hood from Maxtex ® Inc.) using an INOvent (Datex-Ohmeda). The INOvent ® was connected to the oxyhood by placing the injector module inline on the dry side of the humidifier chamber. If the baby was randomized to the control group and did not receive NO, the INOmax® cylinder was opened and used only to pressurize the system, which prevented the "Low NO Pressure" alarm. A "Masking Shield" covered the Display/Control Panel and Cylinder Gauges, in order to maintain masking of the intervention. Only the respiratory therapist and research coordinator was aware of the allocation assignment.

    Also known as: Oxygen, Head box

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. PaO2 one hour after the first hour of study gas

    Time frame: one hour after the first hour of study gas

Secondary outcomes

  1. Alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (A-a DO2)

    Time frame: one hour of exposure to treatment gas

  2. oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry (SpO2)

    Time frame: continuously through the study

  3. need for mechanical ventilation

    Time frame: Continuously through the study

  4. duration of oxygen therapy

    Time frame: continuously through the study

  5. Methemoglobin level in post-ductal arterial blood (MetHb)

    Time frame: Hourly until completion of study in infant

  6. Platelet count

    Time frame: As needed if bleeding

  7. Systemic blood pressure

    Time frame: hourly

  8. Environmental NO and NO2 exposure

    Time frame: Hourly

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Regional Neonatal ICU, University of Alabama at Birmingham
    Birmingham, Alabama 35233, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Ambalavanan N, St John E, Carlo WA, Bulger A, Philips JB 3rd. Feasibility of nitric oxide administration by oxygen hood in neonatal pulmonary hypertension. J Perinatol. 2002 Jan;22(1):50-6. doi: 10.1038/sj.jp.7210652. PubMed 11840243 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 12, 2008, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00732537
First posted
Aug 12, 2008
Start date
Mar 1999
Primary completion
Jun 2005
Completion
Jun 2005
Last update
Aug 12, 2008

Study contacts

Namasivayam Ambalavanan, MD
principal investigator · University of Alabama at Birmingham
Waldemar A Carlo, MD
principal investigator · University of Alabama at Birmingham

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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