Rapid versus slow rate advancement of feeds for enterally fed extremely low birth weight infants ≤1000g

ISRCTN ISRCTN96923718
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN96923718
Secondary identifying numbers HREC REF 283/2011
Submission date
28/09/2011
Registration date
07/12/2011
Last edited
21/01/2019
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Pregnancy and Childbirth
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims?
The best way of feeding by injection has not been established in preterm infants especially those weighing less than 1000g.This is because uncertainty exists regarding when to initiate feeds and how fast feeds should be advanced. The uncertainty is based on studies which raised concerns that early and rapid feeding strategies may be cause an infection of the gut called Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC).

The aim of the study is to establish how well commencing milk feeds at 24ml/kg on the day of birth and advancing feeds at 36ml/kg/d, in babies with a birth weight at or below 1000g will work.

Who can participate?
Infants weighing ≤1000g at birth can participate.
Infants cannot participate if any of the following is present:
1. Any congenital abnormalities which makes enteral feeding (via stomach or intestine) impossible and is life threatening
2. Any infants delivered outside of the centre where the study takes place

What does the study involve?
Infants will be randomly allocated to one of four groups:
1. Low volume initiation + slow advancement
2. Low volume initiation + rapid advancement
3. High volume initiation + slow advancement
4. High volume initiation + rapid advancement
Allocation to one the groups will also depend on weight (<700g and 701-999g) and gender.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Rapid advancement feeding strategies would improve growth and nutrition and potentially reduce infection rates. Fewer intravenous lines would be inserted. Hospital stays would become shorter.

As both feeding regimens are in routine use it is not expected that an unexpected adverse reaction suspected to be caused by one of the feeding regimens is likely to occur

Where is the study run from?
The study will be conducted in the neonatal unit at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run?
The study started recruiting on the 8 August 2011. We hope to recruit 200 patients over a period of 2 years.

Who is funding the study?
Incidental costs will be funded by the principal investigator

Who is the main contact?
Dr M Shukri Raban (principal investigator)
shukriraban@yahoo.co.uk

Contact information

Dr M Shukri Raban
Scientific

30 Chukker Rd
Kenwyn
Cape Town
7780
South Africa

Phone +27 82 312 4819
Email shukriraban@yahoo.co.uk

Study information

Study designRandomised controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use contact details below to request patient info sheet
Scientific titleRapid versus slow rate advancement of feeds for enterally fed extremely low birth weight infants ≤1000g: a randomised controlled trial
Study objectivesInfants ≤1000g at the study site currently have their feeds initiated on day 1 at 4ml/kg/day and are advanced to 24ml/kg/day until they reach full enteral feeds at a volume of 150ml/kg, thereafter the feeds will be increased till a volume of 200ml/kg is reached. This usually takes +/- 10 days. Additionally these infants will also receive FM85, multivitamins, 5% sodium chloride, phosphate sandoz and iron supplementation. The study aims to show that the intervention of initiating feeds at a high or low volume then advancing the feeds at 36ml/kg/d, results in better growth patterns as demonstrated in the time to attain a weight of 1500g but also in serial length and head circumference measurements, take fewer days to full enteral feeds, require fewer or no days of total parenteral nutrition and a potentially shorter hospital stay. The study also tests the hypothesis that fast feeding strategies will not increase the background incidence of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) or mortality.
Ethics approval(s)University of Cape Town, Faculty of Health Sciences- Human Research Ethics Committee approved on 26/07/2011, ref: HREC 283/2011
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedLow birth weight
InterventionRandomised into four groups

1. Low volume initiation + slow advancement
2. Low volume initiation + rapid advancement
3. High volume initiation + slow advancement
4. High volume initiation + rapid advancement

Low volume initiation: Feeding will be initiated on the first day with 4ml/kg of expressed human breast milk (EBM) or donor human breast milk (DEBM)

High volume initiation: Feeding will be initiated on the first day with 24ml/kg of EBM/DEBM

Slow advancement: On day 2 the infant will receive 12ml/kg/day of EBM/DEBM. Thereafter the feeds will be increased in increments of 24ml/kg/day until enteral feeds of 200ml/kg/day are attained. If the infant is randomised to the high initiation + slow advancement arm; Feeding will be initiated on the first day with 24ml/kg/d of EBM/DEBM, on day 2 the infant will receive 24ml/kg/d .Thereafter the feeds will be increased in increments of 24ml/kg/day until enteral feeds of 200ml/kg/day are attained.

Rapid advancement: After day 1, the feeds will be increased in increments of 36ml/kg/day until enteral feeds of 200ml/kg/day are attained.
Intervention typeSupplement
Primary outcome measureTime to attain 1500g weight
Secondary outcome measures1. Clinical
1.1. Time to regain birth weight
1.2. Ttime to discharge
1.3. Mortality
1.4. Days nil by mouth
1.5. Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC)
1.6. Death before discharge
1.7. Growth in head circumference to discharge
1.8. Growth in length to discharge
1.9. The need for total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
2. Health services resource utilisation
2.1. Days of parenteral nutrition
2.2. Time to death or discharge
Overall study start date08/09/2011
Completion date08/09/2013

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupNeonate
SexBoth
Target number of participants200
Key inclusion criteriaAll inborn infants less than or equal to 1000g
Key exclusion criteria1. All outborn infants
2. Congenital abnormalities which would preclude feeds or immediately life threatening
Date of first enrolment08/09/2011
Date of final enrolment08/09/2013

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • South Africa

Study participating centre

30 Chukker Rd
Cape Town
7780
South Africa

Sponsor information

University of Cape Town (South Africa)
University/education

School of Child and Adolescent Health
Division: Neonatal Medicine
H46 – OMB
Groote Schuur Hospital
Observatory
Cape Town
7925
South Africa

Website http://www.scah.uct.ac.za/Neonatology.html
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/03p74gp79

Funders

Funder type

Other

Investigator initiated and funded (South Africa)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 01/11/2016 21/01/2019 Yes No

Editorial Notes

21/01/2019: Publication reference added