CClinicalTrials.gg
TerminatedNCT00919945Updated May 13, 2014

Impact of Early Enteral Feeding on Splanchnic Blood Flow After Surgery for Critical Heart Disease in the Newborn

A Phase 2 interventional study of Continuous feeding at time 1 and NPO at time 2 and NPO at time 1 and continuous feeding at time 2 in Congenital Heart Disease, sponsored by The Hospital for Sick Children. Terminated at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged Up to 30 Days. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2014-05-13.

Sponsored by The Hospital for Sick Children · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was terminated
Reduced enrollment rate for SV patients due to high competition for studies
Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
42
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
Up to 30 Days
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The objective of this study is to determine the impact of early post-operative feeding on splanchnic blood flow, cardiac output and end organ perfusion, and the patients overall clinical outcomes.

Read the detailed description

Neonates with critical congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing surgery often have postoperative decreases in cardiac output. These hemodynamic changes can result in varying levels of organ dysfunction, ranging from the subclinical to the more overt. Although this low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) and accompanying multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is in large part transient, the rapidity and completeness of resolution can vary greatly.

During postoperative care in the intensive care unit, knowledge of this phenomenon must be balanced against the desire to initiate enteral nutrition. Many studies have demonstrated that timely initiation of enteral feeds in the intensive care can reduce mortality, morbidity and costs. Practically speaking, the decision to initiate feeds is made based on the patient's postoperative hemodynamic status, a normal lactate, absence of vasopressor agents and presence of bowel sounds. Trophic enteral feeding can usually commence 24h postoperatively, even after complicated neonatal heart surgery,

The vast majority of postoperative neonates suffer no apparent ill effects from this management strategy. However, recent data have demonstrated an exceedingly high incidence (3.3-6.8%) of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in CHD patients; a disease for which diminution in splanchnic blood flow and disruption of the mucosal barrier are felt to play an important role. These data suggest the combination of diminished cardiovascular reserve, cyanosis and increased myocardial oxygen demands may promote the development of NEC.

Preliminary data from Sickkids (Chanthong and Sivarajan, 2008) demonstrates an NEC incidence of 8% in CHD patients. Patients with NEC also accounted for 25% of all cardiac arrests in Cardiac CCU.

02

Conditions studied

  • Congenital Heart Disease

Keywords

  • Neonates
  • Congenital Heart Disease
  • Postoperative Feeding
  • Splanchnic Blood Flow
03

In context

Heart Diseases

3,639 studies on the registry are indexed under Heart Diseases; 461 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 42 is below the median of 100 across 1,778 interventional studies indexed under Heart Diseases.

Browse Heart Diseases studies →

Lead sponsor

The Hospital for Sick Children is the lead sponsor of 568 studies on the registry; 81 are open to participants now.

Of its 7 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Up to 30 Days
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • neonates ≤ 30 days of postnatal age at time of operation
  • birthweight > 2.5 kg
  • gestational age at birth ≥ 35 weeks
  • Patients requiring cardiac surgery who are expected to remain intubated in the CCIU for > 48 hours
  • informed consent by parent or guardian
  • approval by treating critical care staff physician

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • patients with heterotaxy or pre-existing renal or abdominal pathology (eg. preoperative diagnosis of NEC).
  • need for ECMO after repair within the study period (data up to that point will be recorded and analyzed).
  • Parent refusal of formula for purposes of study
  • Patient on vasopressin or norepinephrine infusion
  • Parent or legal guardian refuse consent
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Triple (Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
42 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    1

    The initial observation period of the study begins in the postoperative period (time 0) after the patient arrives in the Cardiac Critical Care Unit and calibration of the monitors with initial clinically indicated baseline bloodwork is completed. Eligible patients will be randomized when the clinical decision to feed is made (by the treating team) to one of the two treatment arms. Patients in arm 1 will receive continuous nasogastric formula feeding at time 1 and NPO at time 2 (12 hours later).

    Other: Continuous feeding at time 1 and NPO at time 2

  • Experimental
    2

    The initial observation period of the study begins in the postoperative period (time 0) after the patient arrives in the Cardiac Critical Care Unit and calibration of the monitors with initial clinically indicated baseline bloodwork is completed. Eligible patients will be randomized when the clinical decision to feed is made (by the treating team) to one of the two treatment arms. Patients in arm 2 will receive NPO at time 1 and crossover to continuous nasogastric formula feeding at time 2.

    Other: NPO at time 1 and continuous feeding at time 2

Interventions

  • OtherContinuous feeding at time 1 and NPO at time 2

    Continuous nasogastric formula feeding (using Enfalac with iron 2400 kJ/L at a volume of 1ml/kg/h) at time 1 and NPO at time 2 (12 hours later)

  • OtherNPO at time 1 and continuous feeding at time 2

    NPO at time 1 and continuous nasogastric formula feeding (using Enfalac with iron 2400 kJ/L at a volume of 1ml/kg/h) at time 2 (12 hours later).

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in ultrasound derived bloodflow in superior mesenteric artery after feeding by 1 SD from prefeeding value.

    Time frame: At 0, 6, 12 and 24 hours after arrival at CCU; At 12 and 24 hours after decision to feed is made

Secondary outcomes

  1. Impact of Feeding on: Cardiac Output as measured by continuous mass spectometry, Fractional splanchnic output, Renal Perfusion, Tonometric, Assessment of gastric mucosal pH e. Cerebral oxygen delivery using the NIRS probe

    Time frame: Duration of patient's participation in the study

  2. Correlation and Agreement between: Echo and continuous cardiac output measures; gastric tonometry, SMA PSV and qualitative Bowel Perfusion Index; renal artery PSV and temporal urine output

    Time frame: Duration of patient's participation in the study

  3. Patient Outcomes: Survival, Time to Extubation, Duration of Postop ICU Admission, Duration of Postop hospital Admission, Discharge weight, Number of Nosocomial Infections, Development of NEC

    Time frame: Duration of patient's [articipation in the study

07

Study locations

1 site
  • The Hospital for Sick Children
    Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 13, 2014, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00919945
Lead sponsor
The Hospital for Sick Children
Responsible party
Ben Sivarajan (Staff Physician, The Hospital for Sick Children) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 12, 2009
Start date
Jan 2009
Primary completion
Jul 2013
Completion
Jul 2014 (estimated)
Last update
May 13, 2014

Study contacts

Ben Sivarajan, MD
principal investigator · The Hospital for Sick Children

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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