Browsing by Author "Juul, Sandra E."

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    Integrating neuroimaging biomarkers into the multicentre, high-dose erythropoietin for asphyxia and encephalopathy (HEAL) trial: rationale, protocol and harmonisation
    (BMJ, 2021-04-22) Wisnowski, Jessica L.; Bluml, Stefan; Panigrahy, Ashok; Mathur, Amit M.; Berman, Jeffrey; Chen, Ping-Sun Keven; Dix, James; Flynn, Trevor; Fricke, Stanley; Friedman, Seth D.; Head, Hayden W.; Ho, Chang Y.; Kline-Fath, Beth; Oveson, Michael; Patterson, Richard; Pruthi, Sumit; Rollins, Nancy; Ramos, Yanerys M.; Rampton, John; Rusin, Jerome; Shaw, Dennis W.; Smith, Mark; Tkach, Jean; Vasanawala, Shreyas; Vossough, Arastoo; Whitehead, Matthew T.; Xu, Duan; Yeom, Kristen; Comstock, Bryan; Heagerty, Patrick J.; Juul, Sandra E.; Wu, Yvonne W.; McKinstry, Robert C.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Introduction: MRI and MR spectroscopy (MRS) provide early biomarkers of brain injury and treatment response in neonates with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy). Still, there are challenges to incorporating neuroimaging biomarkers into multisite randomised controlled trials. In this paper, we provide the rationale for incorporating MRI and MRS biomarkers into the multisite, phase III high-dose erythropoietin for asphyxia and encephalopathy (HEAL) Trial, the MRI/S protocol and describe the strategies used for harmonisation across multiple MRI platforms. Methods and analysis: Neonates with moderate or severe encephalopathy enrolled in the multisite HEAL trial undergo MRI and MRS between 96 and 144 hours of age using standardised neuroimaging protocols. MRI and MRS data are processed centrally and used to determine a brain injury score and quantitative measures of lactate and n-acetylaspartate. Harmonisation is achieved through standardisation-thereby reducing intrasite and intersite variance, real-time quality assurance monitoring and phantom scans. Ethics and dissemination: IRB approval was obtained at each participating site and written consent obtained from parents prior to participation in HEAL. Additional oversight is provided by an National Institutes of Health-appointed data safety monitoring board and medical monitor.
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    Parental Enrollment Decision-Making for a Neonatal Clinical Trial
    (Elsevier, 2021) Weiss, Elliott Mark; Guttmann, Katherine F.; Olszewski, Aleksandra E.; Magnus, Brooke E.; Li, Sijia; Kim, Scott Y. H.; Shah, Anita R.; Juul, Sandra E.; Wu, Yvonne W.; Ahmad, Kaashif A.; Bendel-Stenzel, Ellen; Isaza, Natalia A.; Lampland, Andrea L.; Mathur, Amit M.; Rao, Rakesh; Riley, David; Russell, David G.; Salih, Zeynep N. I.; Torr, Carrie B.; Weitkamp, Joern-Hendrik; Anani, Uchenna E.; Chang, Taeun; Dudley, Juanita; Flibotte, John; Havrilla, Erin M.; O'Kane, Alexandra C.; Perez, Krystle; Stanley, Brenda J.; Shah, Seema K.; Wilfond, Benjamin S.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Objective: To describe the parental experience of recruitment and assess differences between parents who participated and those who declined to enroll in a neonatal clinical trial. Study design: This was a survey conducted at 12 US neonatal intensive care units of parents of infants who enrolled in the High-dose Erythropoietin for Asphyxia and encephaLopathy (HEAL) trial or who were eligible but declined enrollment. Questions assessed 6 factors of the parental experience of recruitment: (1) interactions with research staff; (2) the consent experience; (3) perceptions of the study; (4) decisional conflict; (5) reasons for/against participation; and (6) timing of making the enrollment decision. Results: In total, 269 of 387 eligible parents, including 183 of 242 (75.6%) of those who enrolled their children in HEAL and 86 of 145 (59.3%) parents who declined to enroll their children in HEAL, were included in analysis. Parents who declined to enroll more preferred to be approached by clinical team members rather than by research team members (72.9% vs 49.2%, P = .005). Enrolled parents more frequently reported positive initial impressions (54.9% vs 10.5%, P < .001). Many parents in both groups made their decision early in the recruitment process. Considerations of reasons for/against participation differed by enrollment status. Conclusions: Understanding how parents experience recruitment, and how this differs by enrollment status, may help researchers improve recruitment processes for families and increase enrollment. The parental experience of recruitment varied by enrollment status. These findings can guide future work aiming to inform optimal recruitment strategies for neonatal clinical trials.
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    Parental Factors Associated With the Decision to Participate in a Neonatal Clinical Trial
    (JAMA, 2021-01-04) Weiss, Elliott Mark; Olszewski, Aleksandra E.; Guttmann, Katherine F.; Magnus, Brooke E.; Li, Sijia; Shah, Anita R.; Juul, Sandra E.; Wu, Yvonne W.; Ahmad, Kaashif A.; Bendel-Stenzel, Ellen; Isaza, Natalia A.; Lampland, Andrea L.; Mathur, Amit M.; Rao, Rakesh; Riley, David; Russell, David G.; Salih, Zeynep N.I.; Torr, Carrie B.; Weitkamp, Joern-Hendrik; Anani, Uchenna E.; Chang, Taeun; Dudley, Juanita; Flibotte, John; Havrilla, Erin M.; Kathen, Charmaine M.; O'Kane, Alexandra C.; Perez, Krystle; Stanley, Brenda J.; Wilfond, Benjamin S.; Shah, Seema K.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Importance: It remains poorly understood how parents decide whether to enroll a child in a neonatal clinical trial. This is particularly true for parents from racial or ethnic minority populations. Understanding factors associated with enrollment decisions may improve recruitment processes for families, increase enrollment rates, and decrease disparities in research participation. Objective: To assess differences in parental factors between parents who enrolled their infant and those who declined enrollment for a neonatal randomized clinical trial. Design, setting, and participants: This survey study conducted from July 2017 to October 2019 in 12 US level 3 and 4 neonatal intensive care units included parents of infants who enrolled in the High-dose Erythropoietin for Asphyxia and Encephalopathy (HEAL) trial or who were eligible but declined enrollment. Data were analyzed October 2019 through July 2020. Exposure: Parental choice of enrollment in neonatal clinical trial. Main outcomes and measures: Percentages and odds ratios (ORs) of parent participation as categorized by demographic characteristics, self-assessment of child's medical condition, study comprehension, and trust in medical researchers. Survey questions were based on the hypothesis that parents who enrolled their infant in HEAL differ from those who declined enrollment across 4 categories: (1) infant characteristics and parental demographic characteristics, (2) perception of infant's illness, (3) study comprehension, and (4) trust in clinicians and researchers. Results: Of a total 387 eligible parents, 269 (69.5%) completed the survey and were included in analysis. This included 183 of 242 (75.6%) of HEAL-enrolled and 86 of 145 (59.3%) of HEAL-declined parents. Parents who enrolled their infant had lower rates of Medicaid participation (74 [41.1%] vs 47 [55.3%]; P = .04) and higher rates of annual income greater than $55 000 (94 [52.8%] vs 30 [37.5%]; P = .03) compared with those who declined. Black parents had lower enrollment rates compared with White parents (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.17-0.73). Parents who reported their infant's medical condition as more serious had higher enrollment rates (OR, 5.7; 95% CI, 2.0-16.3). Parents who enrolled their infant reported higher trust in medical researchers compared with parents who declined (mean [SD] difference, 5.3 [0.3-10.3]). There was no association between study comprehension and enrollment. Conclusions and relevance: In this study, the following factors were associated with neonatal clinical trial enrollment: demographic characteristics (ie, race/ethnicity, Medicaid status, and reported income), perception of illness, and trust in medical researchers. Future work to confirm these findings and explore the reasons behind them may lead to strategies for better engaging underrepresented groups in neonatal clinical research to reduce enrollment disparities.
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    Premature infants born <28 weeks with acute kidney injury have increased bronchopulmonary dysplasia rates
    (Springer Nature, 2023) Starr, Michelle C.; Schmicker, Robert H.; Halloran, Brian A.; Heagerty, Patrick; Brophy, Patrick; Goldstein, Stuart L.; Juul, Sandra E.; Hingorani, Sangeeta; Askenazi, David J.; PENUT Trial Consortium; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Background: Despite a growing understanding of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and advances in management, BPD rates remain stable. There is mounting evidence that BPD may be due to a systemic insult, such as acute kidney injury (AKI). Our hypothesis was that severe AKI would be associated with BPD. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of premature infants [24-27 weeks gestation] in the Recombinant Erythropoietin for Protection of Infant Renal Disease cohort (N = 885). We evaluated the composite outcome of Grade 2/3 BPD or death using generalized estimating equations. In an exploratory analysis, urinary biomarkers of angiogenesis (ANG1, ANG2, EPO, PIGF, TIE2, FGF, and VEGFA/D) were analyzed. Results: 594 (67.1%) of infants had the primary composite outcome of Grade 2/3 BPD or death. Infants with AKI (aOR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.16-2.46) and severe AKI (aOR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.19-3.54). had increased risk of the composite outcome after multivariable adjustment Among 106 infants with urinary biomarkers assessed, three biomarkers (VEGFA, VEGFD, and TIE2) had AUC > 0.60 to predict BPD. Conclusions: Infants with AKI had a higher likelihood of developing BPD/death, with the strongest relationship seen in those with more severe AKI. Three urinary biomarkers of angiogenesis may have potential to predict BPD development. Impact: AKI is associated with lung disease in extremely premature infants, and urinary biomarkers may predict this relationship. Infants with AKI and severe AKI have higher odds of BPD or death. Three urinary angiogenesis biomarkers are altered in infants that develop BPD. These findings have the potential to drive future work to better understand the mechanistic pathways of BPD, setting the framework for future interventions to decrease BPD rates. A better understanding of the mechanisms of BPD development and the role of AKI would have clinical care, cost, and quality of life implications given the long-term effects of BPD.
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    Risk of seizures in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy receiving hypothermia plus erythropoietin or placebo
    (Springer Nature, 2023) Glass, Hannah C.; Wusthoff, Courtney J.; Comstock, Bryan A.; Numis, Adam L.; Gonzalez, Fernando F.; Maitre, Nathalie; Massey, Shavonne L.; Mayock, Dennis E.; Mietzsch, Ulrike; Natarajan, Niranjana; Sokol, Gregory M.; Bonifacio, Sonia L.; Van Meurs, Krisa P.; Thomas, Cameron; Ahmad, Kaashif A.; Heagerty, Patrick J.; Juul, Sandra E.; Wu, Yvonne W.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Background: An ancillary study of the High-Dose Erythropoietin for Asphyxia and Encephalopathy (HEAL) trial for neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and treated with therapeutic hypothermia examined the hypothesis that neonates randomized to receive erythropoietin (Epo) would have a lower seizure risk and burden compared with neonates who received placebo. Methods: Electroencephalograms (EEGs) from 7/17 HEAL trial centers were reviewed. Seizure presence was compared across treatment groups using a logistic regression model adjusting for treatment, HIE severity, center, and seizure burden prior to the first dose. Among neonates with seizures, differences across treatment groups in median maximal hourly seizure burden were assessed using adjusted quantile regression models. Results: Forty-six of 150 (31%) neonates had EEG seizures (31% in Epo vs 30% in placebo, p = 0.96). Maximal hourly seizure burden after the study drug was not significantly different between groups (median 11.4 for Epo, IQR: 5.6, 18.1 vs median 9.7, IQR: 4.9, 21.0 min/h for placebo). Conclusion: In neonates with HIE treated with hypothermia who were randomized to Epo or placebo, we found no meaningful between-group difference in seizure risk or burden. These findings are consistent with overall trial results, which do not support Epo use for neonates with HIE undergoing therapeutic hypothermia. Impact: In the HEAL trial of erythropoietin (Epo) vs placebo for neonates with encephalopathy presumed due to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) who were also treated with therapeutic hypothermia, electrographic seizures were detected in 31%, which is lower than most prior studies. Epo did not reduce the proportion of neonates with acute provoked seizures (31% in Epo vs 30% in placebo) or maximal hourly seizure burden after the study drug (median 11.4, IQR 5.6, 18.1 for Epo vs median 9.7, IQR 4.9, 21.0 min/h for placebo). There was no anti- or pro-convulsant effect of Epo when combined with therapeutic hypothermia for HIE.
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    Trial of Erythropoietin for Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in Newborns
    (Massachusetts Medical Society, 2022) Wu, Yvonne W.; Comstock, Bryan A.; Gonzalez, Fernando F.; Mayock, Dennis E.; Goodman, Amy M.; Maitre, Nathalie L.; Chang, Taeun; Van Meurs, Krisa P.; Lampland, Andrea L.; Bendel-Stenzel, Ellen; Mathur, Amit M.; Wu, Tai-Wei; Riley, David; Mietzsch, Ulrike; Chalak, Lina; Flibotte, John; Weitkamp, Joern-Hendrik; Ahmad, Kaashif A.; Yanowitz, Toby D.; Baserga, Mariana; Poindexter, Brenda B.; Rogers, Elizabeth E.; Lowe, Jean R.; Kuban, Karl C. K.; O'Shea, T. Michael; Wisnowski, Jessica L.; McKinstry, Robert C.; Bluml, Stefan; Bonifacio, Sonia; Benninger, Kristen L.; Rao, Rakesh; Smyser, Christopher D.; Sokol, Gregory M.; Merhar, Stephanie; Schreiber, Michael D.; Glass, Hannah C.; Heagerty, Patrick J.; Juul, Sandra E.; HEAL Consortium; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Background: Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is an important cause of death as well as long-term disability in survivors. Erythropoietin has been hypothesized to have neuroprotective effects in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, but its effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes when given in conjunction with therapeutic hypothermia are unknown. Methods: In a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we assigned 501 infants born at 36 weeks or more of gestation with moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy to receive erythropoietin or placebo, in conjunction with standard therapeutic hypothermia. Erythropoietin (1000 U per kilogram of body weight) or saline placebo was administered intravenously within 26 hours after birth, as well as at 2, 3, 4, and 7 days of age. The primary outcome was death or neurodevelopmental impairment at 22 to 36 months of age. Neurodevelopmental impairment was defined as cerebral palsy, a Gross Motor Function Classification System level of at least 1 (on a scale of 0 [normal] to 5 [most impaired]), or a cognitive score of less than 90 (which corresponds to 0.67 SD below the mean, with higher scores indicating better performance) on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition. Results: Of 500 infants in the modified intention-to-treat analysis, 257 received erythropoietin and 243 received placebo. The incidence of death or neurodevelopmental impairment was 52.5% in the erythropoietin group and 49.5% in the placebo group (relative risk, 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86 to 1.24; P = 0.74). The mean number of serious adverse events per child was higher in the erythropoietin group than in the placebo group (0.86 vs. 0.67; relative risk, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.57). Conclusions: The administration of erythropoietin to newborns undergoing therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy did not result in a lower risk of death or neurodevelopmental impairment than placebo and was associated with a higher rate of serious adverse events.