Clinical Research Directory

Use of SVS Device to Improve Outcomes for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome.

Maternal use and addiction to opioids has resulted in an unprecedented rise in drug withdrawal complications in newborns known as neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS), also referred to as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Between 2004 and 2016, NOWS admissions increased more than fourfold with an average hospital stay nearly 3.2 times longer (15.9 hospital days compared with 4.98) than for a non-NOWS patient resulting in a surge in annual costs to almost $573 million with 83% attributed to state Medicaid programs. While there is no accepted standard for treating NAS, non-pharmacological bundles are recommended, as an initial course of treatment moving to pharmacological care when required. Unfortunately, non-pharmacological care (swaddling, rocking, frequent feedings, and skin contact) require significant use of human resources. To reduce the increasing burden on limited resources, the evidence emerges that hospitals are trying to adapt baby products for consumers that were neither intended nor tested for use in NAS infants as part of their non-pharmacological bundle. The objective of this application is to establish the safety, efficacy, and acceptability of our hospital bassinet pad with stochastic vibrotactile stimulation (SVS) technology as an adjunctive, non-pharmacological treatment to improve the care of infants with NOWS. To accomplish the objective, the investigators plan to execute the following specific aims; 1) determine the efficacy of the SVS hospital bassinet pad, 2) demonstrate the safety of the SVS hospital bassinet pad, and 3) assess acceptability of the device with clinical staff and parents caring for infants with NOWS. The successful completion of the project will provide data to support FDA clearance for commercialization of this low-cost, non-pharmacological device to improve the clinical course of newborns with NOWS.

Recorded Parent/Caregiver Voice for Infants With Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome

Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) can affect a newborn infant's ability to eat, sleep, and be consoled after exposure to opioids before birth. Standard care at the participating neonatal units uses the Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) approach, which emphasizes supportive care and involvement of parents and caregivers. VOICE-NAS is a two-centre feasibility study evaluating whether a recorded parent/caregiver voice can be safely and practically added to usual ESC-based care for infants with NOWS. Approximately 15 to 20 infants will be enrolled at HSC Women's Hospital and St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba. A parent or caregiver will make a short voice recording in their preferred or native language. The recording may include natural talking, reading, singing, storytelling, or comforting words. The recording will be played for the infant during clinically appropriate feeding and settling periods, usually during the latter part of a feed and/or after feeding while the infant is trying to settle or sleep. Playback will generally last about 20 minutes and will be delivered at a controlled sound level. The main purpose of the study is to determine whether the intervention can be delivered consistently and safely within routine NICU care. The study will measure whether usable voice recordings can be obtained, how often planned playback sessions are successfully delivered, reasons sessions are missed or stopped, caregiver acceptability, staff workflow issues, and any signs of intolerance. Clinical information such as ESC assessments, feeding support, medication treatment for NOWS, and hospital length of stay will also be described. The study is not designed to determine whether recorded voice therapy is effective. Results will be used to help design a future larger clinical trial.

Cerebral Physiology of NOWS

This study will use a new device to measure blood flow and oxygen levels in the brains of newborn infants who have had exposure to opioid medications in the womb, compared to newborns who have not had any exposure.

Trial to Shorten Pharmacologic Treatment of Newborns With Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS)

The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a rapid wean intervention compared with a slow-wean intervention in reducing the number of days of opioid treatment from the first dose of weaning to cessation of opioid among infants receiving an opioid (defined as morphine or methadone) as the primary treatment for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS).

Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Expectant Mothers

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of treating opioid use disorder (OUD) in pregnant women with extended-release buprenorphine (BUP-XR), compared to sublingual buprenorphine (BUP-SL), on mother and infant outcomes. The primary hypothesis is that the BUP-XR group will not have greater illicit opioid use than the BUP-SL group during pregnancy (non-inferiority).

Neurostimulation to Improve NOWS Outcomes

The objective of this study is to determine if tAN therapy can reduce the median number of days of oral morphine administered to an infant after start of treatment.

Target Trial Emulation for Pharmacologic Treatment of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome

The goal of this observational study is to learn how two medicines used in routine care-buprenorphine and morphine-affect recovery in newborns (≥36 weeks' gestation) with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Do infants treated with buprenorphine become medically ready for discharge sooner than those treated with morphine? 2. Does one treatment lead to better overall clinical outcomes than the other? Researchers will compare infants who received buprenorphine with infants who received morphine to see whether one treatment helps babies recover more quickly. Participants will not be asked to do anything. Instead, the study team will collect information already documented in the infant's and mother's medical records securely without any contact or changes to clinical care. No new medicines, procedures, or visits are involved. This study only reviews existing clinical data to better understand which commonly used treatment may support faster recovery for newborns with NOWS.

MicroRNA Biomarkers for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome

Infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) experience prolonged hospital stays and poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, in-part because of the lack of accurate, individualized, biologic assessments available to manage this increasingly common medical condition. The proposed study will define the molecular mechanisms that regulate the response to opioid withdrawal in the developing brain by focusing on three candidate microRNAs (let-7a, miR-146a, miR-192) that have been shown to respond to opioid exposure in animal models and adults, and are impacted in both my preliminary study of infants with NAS, and my human neural progenitor cell (NPC) design of opioid withdrawal. By determining the mechanism through which microRNAs impact NPC differentiation in opioid withdrawal, and determining whether exosomal salivary microRNA levels predict treatment dose and neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with NAS, this study will enhance our knowledge of NAS-related biology and identify potential biomarkers that could improve medical care for this important medical condition.

ACT NOW Longitudinal Study: Outcomes of Babies With Opioid Exposure Study

The objective of this longitudinal cohort study is to quantify the effects of antenatal opioid exposure on the trajectory of brain development over the first 2 years of life, examine associations with developmental and neurobehavioral outcomes, and explore how specific factors (differing antenatal and postnatal exposures, severity of neonatal opioid withdrawal, maternal stress/depression/parenting) modify these effects