Overview

Dornase Alfa Therapy for Ventilator Associated Lung Infections in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2017-04-30
Target enrollment:
0
Participant gender:
All
Summary
To evaluate the effect of Dornase alfa on preterm and late preterm neonates with ventilator associated pulmonary infections. Dornase alfa has been effective in the treatment of pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis by aiding mucus clearance. The bacteria causing pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis patients is similar to those infecting preterm infants. The investigators expect that dornase alfa therapy will improve recovery from ventilator associated pulmonary infections in preterm infants.
Phase:
Phase 4
Accepts Healthy Volunteers?
No
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Georgetown University
Collaborator:
Genentech, Inc.
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

- infants less than 38 weeks gestation and over 7 days of age

- infants with a ventilator associated pulmonary infection, defined as intubated infants
who have moderate to heavy White Blood Cells (WBCs) on tracheal aspirate, organisms on
tracheal aspirate gram stain, a positive endotracheal tube culture, a chest x-ray with
infiltrate, consolidation or atelectasis, an increase in oxygen (FiO2) requirement and
whom the clinical team decides to treat with systemic antibiotic therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

- Extremely ill infants not expected to survive

- Critically ill infants requiring high frequency ventilation

- Infants with congenital pneumonia

- Infants with congenital malformations of the respiratory system (e.g. Congenital
diaphragmatic hernia, cystic adenomatoid malformation or tracheo-esophageal fistula)
Cyanotic congenital heart disease, chromosomal abnormalities and infants with a
positive newborn screen for cystic fibrosis