Neurotrophin Expression in Infants as a Predictor of Respiratory and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes



Status:Recruiting
Conditions:Bronchitis, Pulmonary
Therapuetic Areas:Pulmonary / Respiratory Diseases
Healthy:No
Age Range:Any
Updated:2/6/2019
Start Date:December 2014
End Date:December 2025
Contact:Giovanni Piedimonte, MD
Email:PIEDIMG@ccf.org
Phone:216-444-3905

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Important developmental processes continue until the completion of 40 weeks gestation. Even
during fetal life, intrinsic and environmental factors determine the balance between health
and the onset and development of diseases. Thus, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms
that regulate normal development and the pathways that contribute to disease pathogenesis.

Neurotrophins are a family of four proteins that support the growth and survival of neurons.
Their secretion increases during brain development, when new neurons are being formed and
existing ones are branching to assemble complex neuronal circuits. In addition to their role
in promoting neuron growth and development, neurotrophins are also a product of neuronal
activity. Neurotrophins are also responsible for the maintenance of peripheral sensory
neurons, including those in the lungs. Airway innervation is responsible for many aspects of
lung function including the regulation of airway smooth muscle tone, mucus secretion, and
reactivity; therefore, a physiological expression of neurotrophins in the lungs is required
for normal lung function.

Currently, there is no reliable method to identify infants who will have poor
neurodevelopmental and respiratory outcomes. The ability to make such predictions would be
beneficial for both making care decisions in the neonatal intensive care unit and for
identifying infants who require earlier and more intense intervention. We intend to determine
if neurotrophins can be utilized to predict an infant's long-term outcomes. Neurotrophins are
a family of four proteins that support the growth and survival of neurons. Their levels have
been shown to increase with brain development and decrease with brain injury. Neurotrophins
have also been associated with development of airway injury in the neonate and later
respiratory disease such as asthma. We plan to correlate serum neurotrophin levels with
respiratory outcomes and neurological outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria:

intubated infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Exclusion Criteria:

unwilling or unable to give or obtain informed consent
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9500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
216.444.2200
Phone: 216-444-3905
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