Antenatal Late Preterm Steroids (ALPS): A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
NCT ID: NCT01222247
Last Updated: 2023-03-28
Study Results
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View full resultsBasic Information
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COMPLETED
PHASE3
2831 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2010-10-31
2022-08-31
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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Two follow-up studies will be conducted concurrently. The first follow-up study will examine if the positive effects of betamethasone on lung function will persist in children at 6 years of age of mothers randomized to betamethasone with an expected late preterm delivery. Neonatal respiratory morbidity is associated with an increased risk of adverse childhood respiratory disease. Thus it is quite plausible that the effect of betamethasone, in reducing neonatal morbidity, particularly TTN, will translate into improved respiratory morbidity in early childhood.The primary outcome is childhood respiratory disease defined by a composite outcome of abnormal pulmonary function test (PFT) measured by spirometry, physician diagnosis of asthma, or other respiratory illnesses with medication.
The second follow-up study will examine whether late preterm antenatal betamethasone treatment is associated with long-term neurocognitive functioning, and whether there are any long-term consequences of what is believed to be transient neonatal hypoglycemia. Cognitive function will be measured by the Differential Ability Scales 2nd Edition (DAS-II) core components of the general conceptual ability (GCA) that includes verbal ability, non-verbal reasoning ability and spatial ability. The primary outcome is defined as a GCA score of \<85 (1 standard deviation below the mean) at 6 years of age or greater.
Conditions
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
PREVENTION
DOUBLE
Study Groups
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Betamethasone
A course of two 2mL intramuscular (IM) injections containing 3 mg of betamethasone, 24 hours apart
Betamethasone
The active study drug, betamethasone. 3 mg per ml betamethasone sodium phosphate 3 mg per milliliter betamethasone acetate The first dose of study drug medication will be administered at randomization as 2 ml injection; the next dose of 2 ml will be administered 24 hours later.
Placebo
A similar course of an identical appearing placebo: two 2 mL IM injections of placebo, 24 hours apart
Placebo
Similar course of identical appearing placebo: 2 mL IM injections, 24 hours apart.
Interventions
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Betamethasone
The active study drug, betamethasone. 3 mg per ml betamethasone sodium phosphate 3 mg per milliliter betamethasone acetate The first dose of study drug medication will be administered at randomization as 2 ml injection; the next dose of 2 ml will be administered 24 hours later.
Placebo
Similar course of identical appearing placebo: 2 mL IM injections, 24 hours apart.
Other Intervention Names
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
Gestational age at randomization between 34,0 weeks and 36,5 weeks confirmed by study criteria
High probability of delivery in the late preterm period (any one of the following):
* Membrane rupture as defined by the occurrence of any two of the following: pooling of fluid in the vaginal vault, positive Nitrazine test, ferning of vaginal fluid, positive AmniSure test; or any one of the following: indigo carmine pooling in the vagina after amnioinfustion, visible leakage of amniotic fluid from the cervix
or
* Preterm labor with intact membranes. Preterm labor is defined as at least 6 regular uterine contractions in an observation period of no more than 60 minutes and at least one of the following: cervix greater than or equal to 3cm dilated or at least 75% effaced
or
* Planned delivery by induction of labor or cesarean section in no less than 24 hours and no more than 7 days, as deemed necessary by the provider. An induction must be scheduled to start by 36,5 weeks at the latest, whereas a cesarean delivery must be scheduled by 36,6 weeks at the latest. Therefore the latest gestational age for randomization is 36,4 weeks for a planned induction. The planned delivery may be for any indication, such as the following: prior myomectomy, prior classical cesarean, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), oligohydramnios, preeclampsia, nonreassuring fetal heart rate tracing warranting delivery, abruption, placenta previa
Exclusion Criteria
2. Candidate for stress dose corticosteroids because of chronic steroid therapy to prevent suppression of adrenal gland, because of potential contamination of the placebo group
3. Twin gestation reduced to a singleton gestation at or after 14 weeks 0 days by project gestational age either spontaneously or therapeutically
4. Fetal demise, or known major fetal anomaly, including cardiac anomaly and hydrops
5. Maternal contraindication to betamethasone: hypersensitivity reaction to any components of the medication, idiopathic thromboycytopenic purpura, systemal fungal infection in case of exacerbation by betamethasone, use of amphotericin B due to the possibility of heart failure with concomitant betamethasone
6. Pre-gestational diabetes - exclude if the patient was on medication (insulin, glyburide) prior to pregnancy
7. Delivery expected within 12 hours of randomization, because of insufficient time of corticosteroids to confer benefit, including any of the following:
A. Rupture of Membranes (ROM) does not satisfy protocol criteria - exclude if the patient being evaluated for Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (pPROM), does not have preterm labor or planned delivery and does not satisfy the spontaneous membrane rupture criteria (any 2 of: positive Nitrazine test, pooling of fluid in the vaginal vault test or ferning of vaginal fluid; or indigo carmine pooling in the vagina after amnioinfusion; or visible leakage of amniotic fluid from the cervix) B. Rupture of the membranes in the presence of more than 6 contractions per hour or cervical dilation of 3 cm or more, unless oxytocin was withheld for at least 12 hours (other induction agents allowed) C. Chorioamnionitis - exclude if patient is diagnosed with chorioamnionitis D. Cervical dilation ≥ 8 cm E. Evidence of non-reassuring fetal status requiring immediate delivery
8. Participation in another interventional study that influences neonatal morbidity and mortality
9. Participation in this trial in a previous pregnancy
10. Delivery at a non-network hospital
11. At 36, 0 weeks to 36, 5 weeks and quota for 36 weeks already met. To ensure there is an adequate proportion of women presenting at 34 to 35 weeks of gestation, enrollment will be restricted so that no more than 50% of the women in the trial present at 36 weeks.
FEMALE
Yes
Sponsors
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
NIH
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
NIH
The George Washington University Biostatistics Center
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Principal Investigators
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Monica Longo, MD
Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
NICHD Project Scientist
Rebecca Clifton, PhD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
George Washington University
Cynthia Gyamfi Bannerman, MD
Role: STUDY_CHAIR
Columbia University
Locations
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University of Alabama - Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Stanford University
Stanford, California, United States
University of Colorado
Denver, Colorado, United States
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Columbia University
New York, New York, United States
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina, United States
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon, United States
University of Pittsburgh Magee Womens Hospital
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
University of Texas - Southwest
Dallas, Texas, United States
University of Texas - Galveston
Galveston, Texas, United States
University of Texas - Houston
Houston, Texas, United States
University of Utah Medical Center
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Countries
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References
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Gray RF, Indurkhya A, McCormick MC. Prevalence, stability, and predictors of clinically significant behavior problems in low birth weight children at 3, 5, and 8 years of age. Pediatrics. 2004 Sep;114(3):736-43. doi: 10.1542/peds.2003-1150-L.
Linnet KM, Wisborg K, Agerbo E, Secher NJ, Thomsen PH, Henriksen TB. Gestational age, birth weight, and the risk of hyperkinetic disorder. Arch Dis Child. 2006 Aug;91(8):655-60. doi: 10.1136/adc.2005.088872. Epub 2006 Jun 5.
Clark RH. The epidemiology of respiratory failure in neonates born at an estimated gestational age of 34 weeks or more. J Perinatol. 2005 Apr;25(4):251-7. doi: 10.1038/sj.jp.7211242.
Stutchfield P, Whitaker R, Russell I; Antenatal Steroids for Term Elective Caesarean Section (ASTECS) Research Team. Antenatal betamethasone and incidence of neonatal respiratory distress after elective caesarean section: pragmatic randomised trial. BMJ. 2005 Sep 24;331(7518):662. doi: 10.1136/bmj.38547.416493.06. Epub 2005 Aug 22.
Rubaltelli FF, Dani C, Reali MF, Bertini G, Wiechmann L, Tangucci M, Spagnolo A. Acute neonatal respiratory distress in Italy: a one-year prospective study. Italian Group of Neonatal Pneumology. Acta Paediatr. 1998 Dec;87(12):1261-8. doi: 10.1080/080352598750030951.
Yoder BA, Gordon MC, Barth WH Jr. Late-preterm birth: does the changing obstetric paradigm alter the epidemiology of respiratory complications? Obstet Gynecol. 2008 Apr;111(4):814-22. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e31816499f4.
Tita AT, Landon MB, Spong CY, Lai Y, Leveno KJ, Varner MW, Moawad AH, Caritis SN, Meis PJ, Wapner RJ, Sorokin Y, Miodovnik M, Carpenter M, Peaceman AM, O'Sullivan MJ, Sibai BM, Langer O, Thorp JM, Ramin SM, Mercer BM; Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. Timing of elective repeat cesarean delivery at term and neonatal outcomes. N Engl J Med. 2009 Jan 8;360(2):111-20. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0803267.
Davidoff MJ, Dias T, Damus K, Russell R, Bettegowda VR, Dolan S, Schwarz RH, Green NS, Petrini J. Changes in the gestational age distribution among U.S. singleton births: impact on rates of late preterm birth, 1992 to 2002. Semin Perinatol. 2006 Feb;30(1):8-15. doi: 10.1053/j.semperi.2006.01.009.
Raju TN, Higgins RD, Stark AR, Leveno KJ. Optimizing care and outcome for late-preterm (near-term) infants: a summary of the workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Pediatrics. 2006 Sep;118(3):1207-14. doi: 10.1542/peds.2006-0018.
Escobar GJ, Clark RH, Greene JD. Short-term outcomes of infants born at 35 and 36 weeks gestation: we need to ask more questions. Semin Perinatol. 2006 Feb;30(1):28-33. doi: 10.1053/j.semperi.2006.01.005.
Hamilton BE, Ventura SJ, Martin JA, and Sutton PD. Preliminary births for 2004. Health E-stats. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Released October 28, 2005.
Buus-Frank ME. The great imposter. Adv Neonatal Care. 2005 Oct;5(5):233-6. doi: 10.1016/j.adnc.2005.08.012. No abstract available.
Hoyert DL, Mathews TJ, Menacker F, Strobino DM, Guyer B. Annual summary of vital statistics: 2004. Pediatrics. 2006 Jan;117(1):168-83. doi: 10.1542/peds.2005-2587.
Dudell GG, Jain L. Hypoxic respiratory failure in the late preterm infant. Clin Perinatol. 2006 Dec;33(4):803-30; abstract viii-ix. doi: 10.1016/j.clp.2006.09.006.
Laptook A, Jackson GL. Cold stress and hypoglycemia in the late preterm ("near-term") infant: impact on nursery of admission. Semin Perinatol. 2006 Feb;30(1):24-7. doi: 10.1053/j.semperi.2006.01.014.
Neu J. Gastrointestinal maturation and feeding. Semin Perinatol. 2006 Apr;30(2):77-80. doi: 10.1053/j.semperi.2006.02.007.
Bhutani VK, Johnson L. Kernicterus in late preterm infants cared for as term healthy infants. Semin Perinatol. 2006 Apr;30(2):89-97. doi: 10.1053/j.semperi.2006.04.001.
Moster D, Lie RT, Markestad T. Long-term medical and social consequences of preterm birth. N Engl J Med. 2008 Jul 17;359(3):262-73. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0706475.
McIntire DD, Leveno KJ. Neonatal mortality and morbidity rates in late preterm births compared with births at term. Obstet Gynecol. 2008 Jan;111(1):35-41. doi: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000297311.33046.73.
Wang ML, Dorer DJ, Fleming MP, Catlin EA. Clinical outcomes of near-term infants. Pediatrics. 2004 Aug;114(2):372-6. doi: 10.1542/peds.114.2.372.
Shapiro-Mendoza CK, Tomashek KM, Kotelchuck M, Barfield W, Weiss J, Evans S. Risk factors for neonatal morbidity and mortality among "healthy," late preterm newborns. Semin Perinatol. 2006 Apr;30(2):54-60. doi: 10.1053/j.semperi.2006.02.002.
Tomashek KM, Shapiro-Mendoza CK, Weiss J, Kotelchuck M, Barfield W, Evans S, Naninni A, Declercq E. Early discharge among late preterm and term newborns and risk of neonatal morbidity. Semin Perinatol. 2006 Apr;30(2):61-8. doi: 10.1053/j.semperi.2006.02.003.
Gyamfi-Bannerman C, Thom EA, Blackwell SC, Tita AT, Reddy UM, Saade GR, Rouse DJ, McKenna DS, Clark EA, Thorp JM Jr, Chien EK, Peaceman AM, Gibbs RS, Swamy GK, Norton ME, Casey BM, Caritis SN, Tolosa JE, Sorokin Y, VanDorsten JP, Jain L; NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. Antenatal Betamethasone for Women at Risk for Late Preterm Delivery. N Engl J Med. 2016 Apr 7;374(14):1311-20. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1516783. Epub 2016 Feb 4.
Laptook AR, Chalak L, Pappas A, Davis A, Sanchez PJ, Van Meurs KP, Oh W, Sommers R, Shankaran S, Hensman AM, Rouse DJ, McDonald S, Das A, Goldberg RN, Ambalavanan N, Gyamfi-Bannerman C, Thom EA, Higgins RD; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network (NRN); Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network. The effects of betamethasone on the amplitude integrated EEG of infants born at 34- or 35-weeks gestation. J Perinatol. 2022 Dec;42(12):1615-1621. doi: 10.1038/s41372-022-01415-4. Epub 2022 May 26.
McGoldrick E, Stewart F, Parker R, Dalziel SR. Antenatal corticosteroids for accelerating fetal lung maturation for women at risk of preterm birth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Dec 25;12(12):CD004454. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004454.pub4.
Related Links
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(The public website of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Maternal Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network)
Other Identifiers
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HL98354-HD36801-ALPS
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
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