EPIFEVER: elucidating molecular mechanisms underlying epidural-related maternal fever

EPIFEVER: elucidating molecular mechanisms underlying EPIdural-related maternal FEVER - an observational single-centre study

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Observational

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN11281491

Enrollment

144

Registered

2015-01-28

Start date

2014-10-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2020-07-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Epidural-related maternal fever (ERMF) Pregnancy and Childbirth

Interventions

Local anaesthetics not only reduce pain but may also damage immune cells, resulting in substances being released into the mother’s bloodstream and causing fever. We will investigate whether the local

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

Female

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: >37 weeks gestation, established labour (= 2 cm dilated with contractions) and all babies delivered from these women will have outcomes follow up For female surgical patients >18 years old, all those who have agreed to receive epidural analgesia decided in conjunction with their attending anaesthetist will be eligible

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Obstetric patients: 1. No pre-eclampsia or hypertensive disorder 2. No pre-existing immune dysfunction 3. No known infection 4. Not currently on antibiotics 5. Not received NSAID Female surgical patients: 1. No known infection 2. Not currently on antibiotics 3. Not received NSAID 4. Not pregnant

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Development of maternal fever; temperature measured pre and 4 hours after onset of epidural analgesia.	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Laboratory-based assays of immune function pre- and 4 hours post-epidural (or otherwise)	—

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026