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Chromosome DisordersNCT00064597

Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnosis: Using Fetal Cells From Maternal Blood

An observational study of Chromosome Disorders, run by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) at 5 sites in United States.

Unknown status

Status not confirmed. The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.

Official record
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Trial summary

This purpose of this study is to develop noninvasive methods of prenatal diagnosis. Fetal cells can be found in maternal blood. This study is designed to isolate these fetal cells from a sample of the pregnant woman's blood and use those cells to test for fetal chromosome abnormalities. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 16 to 45 years, women only
Conditions the study is for
Chromosome Disorders
How many people
3,500 participants
Where
5 sitesUnited States
Study dates
Dec 1987to Dec 2003
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 16 to 45 years
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Pregnant
  • Abnormal serum marker profile (alpha-fetoprotein, hCG, estriol)
  • Ultrasound abnormalities of the fetus
  • Any high risk indicator for aneuploidy as determined by physician

Who cannot join

None listed.

Trial locations and contacts

5 sites in 1 country.

5 sites in 1 country

United States5 sites
  • New England Medical Center Hospital

    Boston, Massachusetts

  • University of Illinois at Chicago

    Chicago, Illinois

  • Wayne State University

    Detroit, Michigan

  • Baylor College of Medicine

    Houston, Texas

  • Jefferson Medical College

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107-5563

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fetal Cell Isolation Study (NIFTY)

This purpose of this study is to develop noninvasive methods of prenatal diagnosis. Fetal cells can be found in maternal blood. This study is designed to isolate these fetal cells from a sample of the pregnant woman's blood and use those cells to test for fetal chromosome abnormalities.

Read the detailed description

Fetal cells can be recovered from maternal blood, suggesting that noninvasive prenatal diagnosis is possible. However, recovery and analysis of fetal cells from maternal blood is complex and sensitivity is low because of the rarity of these cells in the maternal circulation. This study was designed to develop a noninvasive, safe, relatively inexpensive, and accurate technique for the prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders in the first trimester.

The study included a systematic evaluation of variables involved in separating and enriching fetal cells isolated from maternal blood through fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) and magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) followed by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with chromosome-specific DNA probes. The results of these tests were compared to those obtained from amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) on the same women. No clinical decision was made based on the results of the experimental diagnostic/screening technique.

Even if the biological risks associated with reproductive genetic technologies are reduced, it is possible that other risks (or benefits) are associated with the procedures. Some of these factors may be: increased or diminished maternal anxiety, increased adjustment or maladaption to the pregnancy, increased feelings of coercion to undertake the procedure, and increased or decreased comfort with reproductive decision-making. The study also assessed whether there were any nonbiological or psychological effects on the women undergoing prenatal diagnostic testing.

After the first five years of the study, preliminary analysis of the data showed that the sensitivity of aneuploidy detection using fetal cell analysis from maternal blood is comparable to single marker prenatal serum screening, but technological advances are needed before fetal cell analysis has clinical application as part of a multiple maker method for noninvasive prenatal screening. Target cell recovery and fetal cell detection were better using MACS than with FACS. The detection rate of finding at least one aneuploid cell in cases of fetal aneuploidy was 74.4%.

Keywords
Fetal cells, Prenatal diagnosis, Cytogenetic disorders, Chromosomal disorders, Single gene mutation detection, Abnormal serum marker profile, Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), Magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS), Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), Chromosomal disorders of the fetus, Single gene defects of the fetus
Medical subject headings
Chromosome Disorders

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted11 Jul 2003 (estimated)
  2. Study startDec 1987
  3. Study completionDec 2003

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Defined population
Time perspective
Other
Enrolment
3,500 participants
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00064597
Sponsor's protocol ID
NICHD-NIFTY
Other IDs
1N01HD43201, 1N01HD43202, 1N01HD43203, 1N01HD43204
Status last verified
Jun 2003
First submitted
10 Jul 2003
Last updated
24 Jun 2005
Results posted
No

Publications

  • Bischoff FZ, Hahn S, Johnson KL, Simpson JL, Bianchi DW, Lewis DE, Weber WD, Klinger K, Elias S, Jackson LG, Evans MI, Holzgreve W, de la Cruz F. Intact fetal cells in maternal plasma: are they really there? Lancet. 2003 Jan 11;361(9352):139-40. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(03)12191-5.

    PubMed 12531583
  • Bianchi DW, Simpson JL, Jackson LG, Elias S, Holzgreve W, Evans MI, Dukes KA, Sullivan LM, Klinger KW, Bischoff FZ, Hahn S, Johnson KL, Lewis D, Wapner RJ, de la Cruz F. Fetal gender and aneuploidy detection using fetal cells in maternal blood: analysis of NIFTY I data. National Institute of Child Health and Development Fetal Cell Isolation Study. Prenat Diagn. 2002 Jul;22(7):609-15. doi: 10.1002/pd.347.

    PubMed 12124698
  • Bianchi DW. Prenatal exclusion of recessively inherited disorders: should maternal plasma analysis precede invasive techniques? Clin Chem. 2002 May;48(5):689-90. No abstract available.

    PubMed 11978594
  • Bohmer RM, Stroh HP, Johnson KL, LeShane ES, Bianchi DW. Fetal cell isolation from maternal blood cultures by flow cytometric hemoglobin profiles. Results of a preliminary clinical trial. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2002 Mar-Apr;17(2):83-9. doi: 10.1159/000048014.

    PubMed 11844911
  • Lee T, LeShane ES, Messerlian GM, Canick JA, Farina A, Heber WW, Bianchi DW. Down syndrome and cell-free fetal DNA in archived maternal serum. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002 Nov;187(5):1217-21. doi: 10.1067/mob.2002.127462.

    PubMed 12439507

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Chromosome Disorders, run by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) at 5 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 0 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Jun 2005. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 5 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00064597, which also lists 5 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Jun 2005.

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