Preterm InfantNCT03405181
Effects of the Additional Weight on the Reaching Behavior of Pre Term Infants With Low Birth Weight
A study testing Training with additional weight and Training without additional weight in people with Preterm Infant and Infant Development, run by University of Brasilia at 1 site in Brazil.
Trial summary
The effects of additional weight on early motor skills of infants have been increasingly studied. During the reaching behavior, the additional weight has been shown benefits in certain kinematic variables in full term and preterm infants. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 6 to 7 monthsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Preterm Infant, Infant Development, Low Birth Weight
- What is being tested?
- Training with additional weight and Training without additional weight
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 66 participants
- Where
- 1 siteBrazil
- Study dates
- 12 Jan 2018to 15 Sep 2018
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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 6 to 7 months
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Adequate weight infants: healthy infants born with gestational age between 38-42 weeks and adequate birth weight (> 2500 grams);
- Low weight infants: healthy infants born with gestational age between 32-36 weeks and 6 days and with low birth weight (between 1500 and 2500 grams).
Who cannot join
- Anoxiated infants;
- Signs of neurological impairment (eg, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathies grade I, II and III, intracranial hemorrhage and neonatal seizures);
- Congenital malformations (eg myelomeningocele and achondroplasias);
- Syndromes (e.g Down Syndrome);
- Sensorial alterations (visual and auditory);
- Cardiorespiratory difficulties;
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- Orthopedic impairments (e.g, congenital clubfoot);
- Apgar below 8 and 10 in the first and fifth minutes, respectively.
- Infants who do not attend any of the evaluations, who do not complete at least 80% of the training or who cry uncontrollably, not allowing at least 10 reachings in the evaluations and training. Those that present intercurrences that may compromise normal neurosensorimotor development (for example, recurrent pneumonia, kidney and intestinal infection).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effects of the Additional Weight on the Reaching Behavior of Preterm Infants With Low Birth Weight: Randomized Controlled Trial
The effects of additional weight on early motor skills of infants have been increasingly studied. During the reaching behavior, the additional weight has been shown benefits in certain kinematic variables in full term and preterm infants. There is a growing interest in the study of populations at risk for motor development, especially considering interventions based on functional activities with the purpose of improving the neuromotor control, functional capacity and muscle strength. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of a functional training with additional weight in the reaching behavior of preterm infants with low birth weight and to compare the effects with a full term population. A controlled and randomized trial will be carried out with full term infants of adequate birth weight and preterm infants with low birth weight at 6 months of chronological or corrected age. The participants will be recruited by convenience from the charts of a Public Hospital. Participants will be randomly allocated into four groups: 1) adequate weight placebo group (AWPG); 2) adequate weight intervention group (AWIG); 2) low weight placebo group (LWPG) and 4) low weight intervention group (LWIG). . The assessor will be blinded (no knowledge of groups allocation). All infants will undergo a training program of eight sessions (2x/week; 4 weeks). The AWIG and LWIG will receive the training with an additional weight (characterized by a bracelet with a weight of 20% of the mass of the upper limbs)and the AWPG and LWPG will receive the same training, however, without the additional weight (only the bracelets).. All infants will be assessed in three different moments: 1) Pre-intervention: baseline, before the start of the intervention program; 2) Post-intervention: evaluation performed after the end of the program; and 3) Follow-up: evaluation performed seven days after the post-intervention assessment. The following kinematic dependent variables will be calculated: straightness index, mean velocity and motion units and electromyographic variables: pattern of activation and recruitment of muscle fibers - Biceps brachialis, Triceps brachialis, Deltoid and Pectoralis Major muscles; co-activation between biceps and triceps. The Qualisys Track Manager (QTM) and a wireless surface electromyography with 8-channels will be used. If normality assumptions are met, a mixed 2X2 ANOVA with repeated measures will be applied, in order to verify differences between the intervention programs, considering the dependent variables. Otherwise, non-parametric procedures of the same nature will be adopted. The significance will be set at 5% (P<0.05).
- Conditions
- Preterm Infant, Infant Development, Low Birth Weight
- Being tested
- Training with additional weight, Training without additional weight
- Medical subject headings
- Premature Birth
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Training with additional weightOther
The infants will be positioned in a reclined position. A bracelet with an additional weight (20% of the total mass of the upper limb) will be placed on both wrists. The training will happen 2x/week, during 4 weeks (8 sessions). An object will be used to stimulate the reaching behavior, which will be displayed by the examiner (positioned in front of the infant), and presented in the midline at shoulder height, considering the distance from the arm's length of the infant to the height of the wrist. The physiotherapist will draw the attention of the infant to the object, moving it momentarily so that the infant perceives it and reaches it. After reaching, the object will be carefully removed and resubmitted in order to elicit a new movement. The interval between each presentation will be of approximately 5 seconds. At least 10 movements will be stimulated. If the infant does not achieve the 10 reaches within the maximum interval of 15 minutes, the session will be terminated.
Training without additional weightOther
The infants will be positioned in a reclined position. A bracelet without the additional weight will be placed on both wrists. The training will happen 2x/week, during 4 weeks (8 sessions). An object will be used to stimulate the reaching behavior, which will be displayed by the examiner (positioned in front of the infant), and presented in the midline at shoulder height, considering the distance from the arm's length of the infant to the height of the wrist. The physiotherapist will draw the attention of the infant to the object, moving it momentarily so that the infant perceives it and reaches the object. After reaching, the object will be carefully removed (or picked up) and resubmitted in order to elicit a new movement. The interval between each presentation of the object will be of approximately 5 seconds. At least 10 movements will be stimulated. If the infant does not achieve the 10 reaches within the maximum interval of 15 minutes, the session will be terminated.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Training with additional weight | Experimental | The infants will be submitted to a reaching behavior training program of 4 weeks, two times per week (totaling 8 sessions). During this training program, infants will use a bracelet with an additional weight characterized by 20% of the total mass of the upper limb placed on both wrists. This training will be adopted for the adequate weight intervention group and low weight intervention group. Receives: Other: Training with additional weight |
| Training without additional weight | Placebo comparator | The infants will be submitted to a reaching behavior training program of 4 weeks, two times per week (totaling 8 sessions). During this training program, infants will use a bracelet without additional weight, placed on both wrists. This training will be adopted for the adequate weight placebo group and low weight placebo group. Receives: Other: Training without additional weight |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Movement unit
the number of maximum velocities between two minimum velocities, for which the difference was greater than 1 cm/s
Measured: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Electromyographic activity
Magnitude of the muscle recruitment during the reaching behavior, measured in microvolts (root mean square - RMS)
Measured: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Secondary outcomes (6)
Mean Velocity
the ratio between the distance traveled during the reaching behavior and the duration of the movement
Measured: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Straightness Index
ratio between the minimal distance that could have been traveled in this trajectory (distance between the initial position of the hand and the object) and the distance traveled by the hand (total trajectory). The closer is this index to 1, the straighter is the trajectory.
Measured: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Grasping
categorical variable classified into (a) successful: when the infant was able to grasp the object with one or both hands; and (b) unsuccessful: when the infant touched the object, but did not grasp it
Measured: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Muscle coactivation
Coactivation between the biceps and triceps muscle during the reaching behavior, measured in percentage (activation of the biceps/activation of the triceps)
Measured: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Transport Unit
The relative duration of the first movement unit in relation to total duration of reaching
Measured: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Deceleration time
The time necessary for the infant to decelerate the arm movement so that the hand touches an object. This period of the duration is measured from the time of appearance of the peak of velocity to the end of the reach.
Measured: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Jan 2018
- Study start12 Jan 2018
- Primary completion15 Sep 2018
- Study completion15 Sep 2018
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Preterm InfantStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 66 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Brasilia
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Prof. Rodrigo Luiz Carregaro, University of Brasilia
- Investigators
- Rodrigo Carregaro, PhD, Study director, University of Brasilia
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03405181
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Additional Weight Trial
- Status last verified
- Feb 2019
- First submitted
- 12 Jan 2018
- Last updated
- 25 Feb 2019
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Feb 2019. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of the Additional Weight on the Reaching Behavior of Preterm Infants With Low Birth Weight: Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03405181
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Additional Weight Trial
- Conditions
- Preterm Infant, Infant Development, Low Birth Weight
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 66 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of BrasiliaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 12 Jan 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Sep 2018 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Sep 2018 (actual)
- First posted
- 19 Jan 2018 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The effects of additional weight on early motor skills of infants have been increasingly studied. During the reaching behavior, the additional weight has been shown benefits in certain kinematic variables in full term and preterm infants. There is a growing interest in the study of populations at risk for motor development, especially considering interventions based on functional activities with the purpose of improving the neuromotor control, functional capacity and muscle strength. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of a functional training with additional weight in the reaching behavior of preterm infants with low birth weight and to compare the effects with a full term population. A controlled and randomized trial will be carried out with full term infants of adequate birth weight and preterm infants with low birth weight at 6 months of chronological or corrected age. The participants will be recruited by convenience from the charts of a Public Hospital. Participants will be randomly allocated into four groups: 1) adequate weight placebo group (AWPG); 2) adequate weight intervention group (AWIG); 2) low weight placebo group (LWPG) and 4) low weight intervention group (LWIG). . The assessor will be blinded (no knowledge of groups allocation). All infants will undergo a training program of eight sessions (2x/week; 4 weeks). The AWIG and LWIG will receive the training with an additional weight (characterized by a bracelet with a weight of 20% of the mass of the upper limbs)and the AWPG and LWPG will receive the same training, however, without the additional weight (only the bracelets).. All infants will be assessed in three different moments: 1) Pre-intervention: baseline, before the start of the intervention program; 2) Post-intervention: evaluation performed after the end of the program; and 3) Follow-up: evaluation performed seven days after the post-intervention assessment. The following kinematic dependent variables will be calculated: straightness index, mean velocity and motion units and electromyographic variables: pattern of activation and recruitment of muscle fibers - Biceps brachialis, Triceps brachialis, Deltoid and Pectoralis Major muscles; co-activation between biceps and triceps. The Qualisys Track Manager (QTM) and a wireless surface electromyography with 8-channels will be used. If normality assumptions are met, a mixed 2X2 ANOVA with repeated measures will be applied, in order to verify differences between the intervention programs, considering the dependent variables. Otherwise, non-parametric procedures of the same nature will be adopted. The significance will be set at 5% (P<0.05).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Training with additional weight | Experimental | Other: Training with additional weightThe infants will be submitted to a reaching behavior training program of 4 weeks, two times per week (totaling 8 sessions). During this training program, infants will use a bracelet with an additional weight characterized by 20% of the total mass of the upper limb placed on both wrists. This training will be adopted for the adequate weight intervention group and low weight intervention group. |
| Training without additional weight | Placebo comparator | Other: Training without additional weightThe infants will be submitted to a reaching behavior training program of 4 weeks, two times per week (totaling 8 sessions). During this training program, infants will use a bracelet without additional weight, placed on both wrists. This training will be adopted for the adequate weight placebo group and low weight placebo group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 6 to 7 months
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Adequate weight infants: healthy infants born with gestational age between 38-42 weeks and adequate birth weight (> 2500 grams);
- Low weight infants: healthy infants born with gestational age between 32-36 weeks and 6 days and with low birth weight (between 1500 and 2500 grams).
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Anoxiated infants;
- Signs of neurological impairment (eg, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathies grade I, II and III, intracranial hemorrhage and neonatal seizures);
- Congenital malformations (eg myelomeningocele and achondroplasias);
- Syndromes (e.g Down Syndrome);
- Sensorial alterations (visual and auditory);
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Training with additional weightThe infants will be positioned in a reclined position. A bracelet with an additional weight (20% of the total mass of the upper limb) will be placed on both wrists. The training will happen 2x/week, during 4 weeks (8 sessions). An object will be used to stimulate the reaching behavior, which will be displayed by the examiner (positioned in front of the infant), and presented in the midline at shoulder height, considering the distance from the arm's length of the infant to the height of the wrist. The physiotherapist will draw the attention of the infant to the object, moving it momentarily so that the infant perceives it and reaches it. After reaching, the object will be carefully removed and resubmitted in order to elicit a new movement. The interval between each presentation will be of approximately 5 seconds. At least 10 movements will be stimulated. If the infant does not achieve the 10 reaches within the maximum interval of 15 minutes, the session will be terminated. | Other | Training with additional weight |
| Training without additional weightThe infants will be positioned in a reclined position. A bracelet without the additional weight will be placed on both wrists. The training will happen 2x/week, during 4 weeks (8 sessions). An object will be used to stimulate the reaching behavior, which will be displayed by the examiner (positioned in front of the infant), and presented in the midline at shoulder height, considering the distance from the arm's length of the infant to the height of the wrist. The physiotherapist will draw the attention of the infant to the object, moving it momentarily so that the infant perceives it and reaches the object. After reaching, the object will be carefully removed (or picked up) and resubmitted in order to elicit a new movement. The interval between each presentation of the object will be of approximately 5 seconds. At least 10 movements will be stimulated. If the infant does not achieve the 10 reaches within the maximum interval of 15 minutes, the session will be terminated. | Other | Training without additional weight |
Primary outcome
Movement unit
Time frame: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
the number of maximum velocities between two minimum velocities, for which the difference was greater than 1 cm/s
Electromyographic activity
Time frame: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Magnitude of the muscle recruitment during the reaching behavior, measured in microvolts (root mean square - RMS)
6 secondary outcomes
Mean Velocity
Time frame: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Straightness Index
Time frame: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Grasping
Time frame: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Muscle coactivation
Time frame: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Transport Unit
Time frame: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Deceleration time
Time frame: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Feb 2019.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Rodrigo Carregaro, PhD study director
University of Brasilia
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Training with additional weight and Training without additional weight in people with Preterm Infant and Infant Development, run by University of Brasilia at 1 site in Brazil.
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 2 inclusion and 9 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Feb 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Brazil. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
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.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Movement unit (time frame: Change from Pre-Intervention (baseline) compared to Post-Intervention (4 weeks) and Follow-up (7 days)). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 25 Feb 2019.