Hat-Trick for baby brains: new monitor could spot injury sooner
NCT ID NCT02793999
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests a new, non-invasive device that measures oxygen levels in the brains of newborns at risk for brain injury. Researchers will compare readings from babies receiving cooling therapy, those with brain injury not getting cooling, and healthy newborns. The goal is to see if this device can help doctors better monitor brain health and guide treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) device
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to a better bedside tool for monitoring brain health in newborns, helping doctors tailor treatments like cooling therapy.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study focused on measuring and comparing data, not testing a treatment. The device may not prove accurate or useful in routine care.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 125 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Start date
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May 2015
- Expected to finish
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May 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Neonates must be \> 33 weeks gestational age (GA) and meet inclusion criteria for one of the two groups: 1. Therapeutic Hypothermia (TH) Group: 1. Undergo TH as part of their clinical management 2. Parents consent to multiple measures in the first week of life. 2. No Therapeutic Hypothermia (no-TH) Group: 1. Signs will be defined broadly as any one of the following which can be considered evidence of NE caused by HIE or other etiologies: i) Seizures alone or ii) any of the following: abnormal consciousness, difficulty maintaining respiration, difficulty feeding (presumed central origin), abnormal tone or reflexes. 2. Parents consent to multiple measures in the first week of life.
- Ages
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Up to 2 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion criteria: Neonates must be \> 33 weeks gestational age (GA) and meet inclusion criteria for one of the two groups: 1. Therapeutic Hypothermia (TH) Group: 1. Undergo TH as part of their clinical management 2. Parents consent to multiple measures in the first week of life. 2. No Therapeutic Hypothermia (no-TH) Group: 1. Signs will be defined broadly as any one of the following which can be considered evidence of NE caused by HIE or other etiologies: i) Seizures alone or ii) any of the following: abnormal consciousness, difficulty maintaining respiration, difficulty feeding (presumed central origin), abnormal tone or reflexes. 2. Parents consent to multiple measures in the first week of life. Exclusion criteria: Exclusion criteria includes neonates born at GA ≤ 33 weeks or \< 2.0 kg, with implanted devices or other devices that preclude the use of MRI will be excluded from the follow up MRI session.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
3 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
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Boston Children's Hospital
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
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Brigham and Women's Hospital
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- 2000 coma patients tracked to unlock recovery secrets