Tiny brain waves may tell doctors when preterm babies can go home
NCT ID NCT02156817
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looked at 26 late preterm infants (born at 34-36 weeks) to see if non-invasive brain wave and heart rate tests could better predict how long they stay in the hospital. Researchers measured brain activity (aEEG), heart rate variability, and breathing patterns within the first few days after birth. The goal was to see if these measures, combined with gestational age, give a more accurate estimate of hospital stay than age alone.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help doctors better predict how long late preterm infants need to stay in the hospital, potentially reducing unnecessary stays.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early observational study with only 26 infants. The findings may not apply to all hospitals or babies, and the measures may not improve predictions enough to change practice.
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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26 people
The number who actually took part.
- Start date
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Mar 2014
- Finished
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Jun 2017
- 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
Neonatal intensive care unit Newborn nursery
- Ages
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1 day to 4 days
- 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.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Gestational age of 340-346 weeks by Obstetric criteria (presence of a sure LMP or sonogram performed in the first trimester, or agreement between LMP and a sonogram performed between the first trimester and 20 weeks) * Admitted to a NICU of a participating institution * Post-natal age less than 96 hours Exclusion Criteria: * Major congenital anomaly/genetic anomaly * Growth restriction (birth weight \< 10%, Fenton growth curves) * Unsure obstetric dating (e.g., absence of a sure LMP without a sonogram, earliest sonogram performed after 20 weeks without a sure LMP, or discrepancy between LMP and sonogram) * Exposure to medications within the preceding 12 hrs which may affect CNS function (e.g., fentanyl, morphine, midazolam) * Neonatal seizures * Neonatal abstinence syndrome secondary to in-utero exposure to narcotics, methadone etc, or at high risk for development of abstinence * Hypoxia-ischemia defined as the combination of fetal acidemia (cord gas or blood gas within 1 hour of birth: pH ≤ 7.15 or BE ≥ -10mEq/L), need for resuscitation at birth (PPV ± chest compressions or medications), and evidence of encephalopathy (Stage 1, 2 or 3 Sarnat). Stage 1 encephalopathy will be defined based on the level of consciousness which is characterized by a hyper-alert state, apparent alertness, and irritability. In the absence of a cord or early post-natal blood gas, there must be a history of a perinatal event which may have compromised oxygenation or blood flow to the fetus. * Infants who are expected to be on mechanical (via an endotracheal tube) or high frequency ventilation for the first 96 hours after birth. * Inability to obtain the informed consent
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Brown University - Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island NICU
Providence, Rhode Island, 02905, United States
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McGill University Health Center
Montreal, Quebec, H3H 1P3, Canada
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Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan, 48201, United States