Clinical Research Directory

A Dose Escalation Study of Levetiracetam in the Treatment of Neonatal Seizures

The main purpose of this study is to determine the maximum safe tolerated dose of LEV in the treatment of neonatal seizures. Our hypothesis is that optimal dosing of Levetiracetam (LEV) to treat neonatal seizures is significantly greater than 60mg/kg. This study will be an open label dose-escalation, preliminary safety and efficacy study. There will be a randomized control treatment component. Infants recognized as having neonatal seizures or as being at risk of developing seizures will be recruited and started on continuous video EEG monitoring (CEEG). Eligibility will be confirmed and consent will be obtained. In the first 2 phases of the study, neurologists will identify neonates with mild-moderate seizure burden (less than 8 minutes cumulative seizure activity per hour), appropriate for study with LEV, and exclude patients with higher seizure burden where treatment with PHB is more appropriate. Phase 3 of the dose escalation will only proceed if additional efficacy of LEV has been demonstrated in phases 1 and 2. In Phase 3 we will recruit neonates with seizures of greater severity up to 20 minute seizure burden/hour. This will make the final results of study more generalizable. If seizures are confirmed, enrolled subjects will receive 60mg/kg of LEV. Subjects whose seizures persist or recur 15 minutes after the first infusion is complete, subjects will then be randomized in the dose escalation study. Patients in the dose escalation study will be randomly assigned to receive either higher dose LEV or treatment with the control drug PHB in a 3:1 allocation ratio, stratified by site. Funding Source- FDA OOPD

Prognostic Factors to Regain Consciousness

The study aims to identify factors that predict the medium and long-term outcome of patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) undergoing early neurological rehabilitation. In this prospective, observational study, 130 DOC patients are going to be included (36 months). At study entry, different routine data, disease severity and functional status are documented for each patient. In addition, MRI, EEG and evoked potentials are measured within the first week. The level of consciousness is recorded with the Coma-Recovery-Scale-Revised and serves as the primary outcome parameter. Complications, comorbidities, functional status and leve of consciousness are assessed weekly. After eight weeks, the measurement of the MRI, the EEG and the evoked potentials are repeated. After 3, 6 and 12 months, the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Revised is used to followed up the current status of the patients.

Spinal Stimulation and Mobility Devices

This research study will combine non-invasive spinal stimulation with an ankle exoskeleton to examine the acute impact of the stimulation on gait in children with cerebral palsy.

Comparative Outcomes Related to Delivery-room Cord Milking In Low-resourced Kountries

The investigators will conduct a study on non-vigorous infants at birth to determine if umbilical cord milking (UCM) results in lower rate of moderate to severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) or death than early clamping and for infants who are non-vigorous at birth and need immediate resuscitation.

School-aged Outcomes Post Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy

Neonatal HIE increases the risk for cognitive impairments in childhood. Neonatal MRI brain scans are a strong predictor for outcome, however a normal scan has only a 35% sensitivity and 85% specificity for a normal outcome. This may be explained by variability in the brain's development over time in response to the initial insult. This project will aim to develop a neonatal MRI machine learning algorithm that incorporates both initial injury and radiomic features associated with future brain development (based on school-age MRI) to predict school-age outcome. This will be achieved by conducting a case-control cohort study looking at School-age MRI and outcomes of children with a history of neonatal HIE.

Renal and Cerebral NIRS and Early Acute Kidney Injury in Cooled Neonates With Birth Asphyxia

This prospective, single-center observational cohort study evaluated whether continuous cerebral and bilateral renal near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) monitoring during therapeutic hypothermia distinguishes term neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) who develop acute kidney injury (AKI) from those who do not. Forty-six neonates who received whole-body therapeutic hypothermia for HIE were enrolled and monitored continuously for 72 hours. Regional oxygen saturation was recorded at three sites: the cerebral cortex and both kidneys. Acute kidney injury was classified after the monitoring period using serum creatinine-based criteria, and participants were assigned to an AKI group or a non-AKI group. The primary objective was to compare regional oxygen saturation between the two groups. Serum and urinary indices of tubular function were assessed at 24, 48, and 72 hours as secondary measures.

Dose Optimization of Caffeine for HIE

This is a phase Ib, open-label, dose-validating and safety study of caffeine in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) undergoing therapeutic hypothermia.

EEG-Based Decision-Support Algorithm for Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in Term Newborns

This retrospective, multicenter, observational study evaluates how well a decision-support algorithm can tell apart mild forms of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) from moderate or severe forms in full-term newborns born after a lack of oxygen around birth (perinatal asphyxia). The algorithm reads the raw (non-compressed) EEG signal. Its output is compared with the reference reading of the full conventional EEG made by a panel of pediatric neurophysiologists together with the baby's clinical information. The study uses only medical data that already exists and asks nothing of the babies or their families.

Effects of a Physical Therapy Intervention on Motor Delay in Infants Admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Study Aims Pilot study: Due to the large recruitment goal and length of the project, the study team/PIs will evaluate the first cohort of 6-10 participants to refine study procedures and study-related materials. If no major modifications are made to the protocol as a result of this evaluation, data from these participants will be included for analysis. Aim 1: Evaluate the efficacy of an early, evidence-based, clinical experience-based therapeutic intervention (from the NICU to 12-months corrected age) on improving motor function and reducing severity of motor delays in infants at 12-months corrected age. The investigators hypothesize that the intervention group will demonstrate an average 8-point difference (0.5 standard deviation) compared to the standard of care group. \[an 8-point difference is considered a clinically meaningful difference\] Aim 2: Evaluate the early effects (i.e., before 12 months) of a therapeutic intervention, provided from NICU to 12-months corrected age, on motor function and severity of motor delay. The Investigators hypothesize that a statistically significant higher percentage of infants in the intervention group will demonstrate improved motor function and reduced severity of motor delays, compared to the standard of care group-assessed using sensors, the NSMDA and TIMP-as early as 3-months corrected age. Aim 3: Evaluate whether an early intervention that focuses on caregiver engagement improves caregiver well-being. The invetigators hypothesize that an intervention that focuses on supporting and addressing the individual needs of the caregiver will improve caregiver well-being. The investigators will evaluate these effects using the PedsQL (Family Impact Module).

Evaluating a Wireless NIRS Device in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

The wireless NIRS sensor will be placed on the participant's forehead, directly underneath the INVOS wired sensor. The wireless NIRS sensor will remain in place for 4 consecutive hours, over 2 consecutive days. As standard-of-care, nursing personnel removes all sensors at every care to evaluate skin and reduce the risk of pressure sores. The wireless NIRS device will be removed and reapplied at the same time, by the research team who will annotate what time the sensor was removed, replaced, and the condition of the skin. This will be used to correlate signal disconnection with sensor care (i.e., skin checks, sensor removal, etc.).

Neonatal Neurological Observation With Video AI

NeoNOVA is a multi-site, prospective, single-arm, silent observational study to determine: among (Population) infants admitted to newborn services during their inpatient hospital stay, whether (Intervention) continuous bedside non-contact high definition video running real-time AI analysis of anatomic landmarks and movement, (Comparison) compared against human-labeled video frames and standardized clinical exams, will (Outcome) accurately localize infant anatomic landmarks (primary objective; outcome median position error in pixels) and demonstrate a statistically significant association between a video-derived movement index and clinical measures of patient neurological exams (secondary objective; outcomes N-PASS and modified Sarnat exams).

Comparative Outcomes Related to Delivery-room Cord Milking In Low-resourced Kountries Developmental Follow Up

An extension of the CORDMILK trial, the CORDMILK follow-up trial will evaluate the neurodevelopmental outcomes at 22-26 months age of term/late preterm infants who were non-vigorous at birth and received umbilical cord milking (UCM) or early cord clamping (ECC).

Therapeutic Intervention Supporting Development From NICU to 6 Months for Infants Post Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and begin to evaluate the effect of a sensorimotor intervention (SMI) provided in the first 6 months of life for infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Optimizing (Longer, Deeper) Cooling for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy(HIE)

The Optimizing Cooling trial will compare four whole-body cooling treatments for infants born at 36 weeks gestational age or later with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: (1) cooling for 72 hours to 33.5°C; (2) cooling for 120 hours to 33.5°C; (3) cooling for 72 hours to 32.0°C; and (4) cooling for 120 hours to 32.0°C. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether whole-body cooling initiated at less than 6 hours of age and continued for 120 hours and/or a depth at 32.0°C in will reduce death and disability at 18-22 months corrected age.

Identification of a Pool of miRNA to Improve Early Management of Perinatal Asphyxia and Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is the most common cause of neurological damage in the neonatal period. It has an incidence of about 1.5-2.5% of livebirths in developed countries. It is associated with a high rate of mortality and morbidity. Major neurological outcomes such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, learning disabilities, epilepsy occur in approximately 25% of survivors. The diagnostic and prognostic tools currently available for enrollment have limitations and additional reliable biomarkers are needed for all phases of clinical management. Sarnat staging has taken on a role in identifying those infants who may benefit from treatment of hypothermia, resulting in the need for neurological evaluation and staging within 6 hours of life. Therapeutic hypothermia is still the best therapeutic treatment. A new tool in neuroscience research is represented by micro-ribonucleic acid (microRNA) profiling. The presence of microRNAs in blood, urine and saliva and the ability to measure their levels non-invasively has opened new doors in the search for peripheral biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of neurodegenerative diseases and also as possible pharmacological targets. The aim of the present study is to analyze a specific cluster of miRNAs selected from data obtained by macroarray (NGS Pannel) on the entire microRNAome in healthy newborns with normal cord arterial pH value (7.26-7.35) as control cases and in newborns with fetal metabolic acidosis with a pH threshold value lower than 7.12 of the blood gas analysis from cord arterial blood. This latter group will be further stratified into two groups, neonates who will practice therapeutic hypothermia according to current guidelines and a further group who will not practice therapeutic hypothermia. This study will make a further international contribution in evaluating and identifying the potential of microRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in perinatal asphyxia and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Furthermore, the study aims to identify specific microRNA sequences as new possible markers to be used as an additional parameter for the enrollment of therapeutic hypothermia, especially in cases of mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Healthy Little Eyes

The purpose of this research study is to gather more information on how eye injury is related to a baby's future development and see if eye function and brain test results can be used, along with current measures, to better diagnose and treat babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Participants will undergo up to two eye exam sessions, involving both Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) and Electroretinogram (ERG) exams.

Predicting Mortality in Patients With Return of Spontaneous Circulation After Cardiac Arrest

This retrospective observational cohort study aims to identify early predictors of short- and mid-term mortality in adult patients who achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac arrest. Eligible patients admitted to the intensive care unit between January 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025 were identified retrospectively from electronic medical records following institutional ethics approval. Clinical, biochemical, and resuscitation-related parameters recorded within the first 24 hours of ICU admission were analyzed. The primary objective was to determine factors independently associated with short-term mortality. Six-month mortality was additionally assessed using hospital records and the national death registry. The findings are expected to improve risk stratification and clinical decision-making in post-cardiac arrest care.

Individual Cerebral Hemodynamic Oxygenation Relationships (ICHOR 1)

This is an observational study in patients who require clinical anesthesia. The main purpose of this study is to understand whether there are differences in the cerebral blood flow, and oxygen metabolism affected by different types of anesthesia. Subjects who require clinical anesthesia for a clinical MRI and for whom the use of anesthetics for the exam are in clinical equipoise are asked to join the study. All eligible subjects will be asked to provide informed consent before participating in the study.

Hydrocortisone Therapy Optimization During Hypothermia Treatment in Asphyxiated Neonates

This is a prospective, single center, pharmacokinetic study of intravenous hydrocortisone therapy for systemic low blood pressure during hypothermia treatment in asphyxiated newborns. Patients will be allocated to hydrocortisone supplementation while receiving conventional inotropic therapy as needed. The hypothesis is that a detailed study of hydrocortisone pharmacokinetics during therapeutic hypothermia would help to personalize steroid supplementation in asphyxiated neonates. As the overall metabolic rate decreases with lower body temperature, drug metabolism is likely to be reduced as well, and lower doses, or less frequent dosing will be sufficient to achieve the targeted steroid range and biological effects in asphyxiated neonates with relative adrenal insufficiency. Thus, the investigators are planning to measure initial, baseline serum cortisol levels and serial serum cortisol levels after hydrocortisone supplementation in cooled asphyxiated neonates.

A Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Preliminary Efficacy of RLS-0071 in Newborns With Moderate or Severe Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Undergoing Therapeutic Hypothermia

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) affects approximately 4,000 to 12,000 persons annually in the United States. Mortality from HIE has been reported up to 60%, with at least 25% of survivors left with significant neurocognitive disability. Despite this vital unmet medical need, no pharmacological adjunct or alternative therapy has proven beneficial in improving outcomes in neonatal HIE. RLS-0071 is a novel peptide being developed for the treatment of neonatal HIE. This study is designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of RLS-0071 in the treatment of newborns with moderate or severe HIE.

The Effect of Maternal Scent and Knitted Octopus Application on Pain in Infants Diagnosed With Neonatal Asphyxia and Receiving Therapeutic Hypothermia Treatment

This study was designed to determine the effects of maternal scent and knitted octopus application on pain in infants born with asphyxia beyond 36 weeks' gestation and receiving Therapeutic Hypothermia (TH) treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Gaziantep Private Anka Hospital. The study is a randomized controlled experimental study. Block randomization will be used as the randomization method.

Sildenafil Plus Hypothermia to Treat Neonatal Encephalopathy

The main objective of this study is to assess pharmacokinetics features of IV sildenafil in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and treated by controlled hypothermia. This phase 2 study will prepare a large phase 3 randomized controlled trial to demonstrate the superiority of a combinatory therapy associating IV sildenafil and controlled hypothermia compared to Placebo and controlled hypothermia, on survival without brain lesions on MRI at discharge, in neonates born after 36 weeks of gestation.

A Safety and Feasibility Trial Protocol of Metformin in Infants After Perinatal Brain Injury

Infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) are at high risk for neurodevelopmental impairment, despite current standards of care. Adjunctive treatments to promote brain repair are needed. The antidiabetic drug metformin has recently been recognized as a neurorestorative agent, but, to date, has not been used in infants. Herein, the investigator describes a clinical trial with the aim of demonstrating the safety and feasibility of metformin use to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with HIE.

Hydrogen In Neonatal Encephalopathy (HIE) Trial

Despite advances in neonatal care, moderate-to-severe acute perinatal HIE in late preterm and term infants remains a cause of mortality, neurological injury, and long-term neurodevelopmental disability. The current standard of care includes therapeutic hypothermia for 72 hours, but 40-50% of infants will die or suffer significant neurodevelopmental impairment. It has been shown that administration of hydrogen gas (H2) significantly diminishes ischemic injury in swine, and that H2 administration at the dose and duration proposed herein is well-tolerated in healthy adults. The purpose of this project is to test the feasibility and safety of H2 administration as an adjunct to therapeutic hypothermia in infants with HIE. Under exemption from informed consent, infants with severe, acute brain injury at birth will be randomized to standard therapy with or without the administration of 2% hydrogen in gases administered via the ventilator, non-invasive ventilation, or nasal cannula for 72 hours.