Cerebral Oxygen Metabolism in Children

NCT ID: NCT04157179

Last Updated: 2025-09-11

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 350 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2019-10-17
• Study Completion Date: 2027-12-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this research study is to better understand how blood flow and metabolism change can influence brain development in the early decades of life.

We will examine brain blood flow and metabolism using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The brain's blood vessels expand and constrict to regulate blood flow based on the brain's needs. The amount of expanding and contracting the blood vessels can do varies by age. The brain's blood flow changes in small ways during everyday activities, such as normal brain growth, exercise, or deep concentration. Significant illness or psychological stress may increase the brain's metabolic demand or cause other bigger changes in blood flow. If blood vessels are not able to expand to give more blood flow when metabolic demand is high, the brain may not get all of the oxygen it needs. In extreme circumstances, if the brain is unable to get enough oxygen for a long time, a stroke may occur. Sometimes small strokes occur without other noticeable changes and are only detectable on an MRI. These are sometimes called "silent strokes." In less extreme circumstances, not having as much oxygen as it wants may cause the brain to grow and develop more slowly than it should.

One way to test the ability of blood vessels to expand is by measuring blood flow while breathing in carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide causes blood vessels in the brain to dilate without increasing brain metabolism.

During this study participants may be asked to undergo a blood draw, MRI, and potential neuropsychological assessments. It is also possible that the study team will use a special mask to control the amount of carbon dioxide the participants breathe in so they don't breathe in too much.

Detailed Description

The purpose of the study is to identify imaging biomarkers for brain tissue under high metabolic stress at risk for permanent injury. We will measure CBF, OEF, and CVR in children with and without perturbations in cerebral oxygen delivery over time to determine each parameter's role in clinical and radiologic neurologic outcomes. Measuring CBF and OEF can be done with specialized MRI sequences. Measuring CVR requires a vasoactive response, such as carbon dioxide. In order to delivery carbon dioxide evenly and as safely as possible, we will use an MRI-compatible device to prevent over-breathing carbon dioxide and allow rapid steady-state physiology to minimize total scan time.

Conditions

Sickle Cell Disease; Cerebral Stroke

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Healthy Controls

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Carbon Dioxide

Intervention Type: OTHER

Participants inhale carbon dioxide while in magnetic resonance imaging scan to measure cerebrovascular reactivity

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation survivors

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Carbon Dioxide

Intervention Type: OTHER

Participants inhale carbon dioxide while in magnetic resonance imaging scan to measure cerebrovascular reactivity

Sickle Cell Anemia participants

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Carbon Dioxide

Intervention Type: OTHER

Participants inhale carbon dioxide while in magnetic resonance imaging scan to measure cerebrovascular reactivity

Interventions

Carbon Dioxide

Participants inhale carbon dioxide while in magnetic resonance imaging scan to measure cerebrovascular reactivity

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Healthy Controls:

• Healthy controls ages 3-50 years of age
• Able to participate in MRI scan without sedation
• Not currently pregnant
• No significant psychiatric history, defined as having a severe psychiatric diagnosis, per PI discretion
• No history of epilepsy
• No history of stroke or cerebrovascular disease
• May have occasional headaches if not taking a daily preventative medication for headaches
• Not on vasodilatory medication, such as sildenafil or verapamil

Sickle Cell Anemia Participants:

• Ages 3-50 years of age
• Hb SS or SBeta-thal
• Able to participate in MRI scan without sedation
• Not currently pregnant
• Not on vasodilatory medication, such as sildenafil or verapamil

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Survivors:

• Ages 3-50 years of age
• History of cannulation for ECMO
• Able to participate in MRI scan without sedation
• Not currently pregnant
• Not on vasodilatory medication, such as sildenafil or verapamil

• Minimum Eligible Age: 3 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Washington University School of Medicine

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Washington University of St. Louis

St Louis, Missouri, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Kristin Guilliams, MD

Role: CONTACT

kristinguilliams@wustl.edu

3144546120

Facility Contacts

Kristin Guilliams, MD

Role: primary

kristinguilliams@wustl.edu

3144546120

Other Identifiers

201905044

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id