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Does Routine Assessment of Gastric Residuals in Preterm Neonates Influence Time Taken to Reach Full Enteral Feeding?

A Prospective, Randomized and Controlled Trial Comparing the Role of no Gastric Residual ASSessment and Standard Gastric Residual Measurement for the Achievement of Full Enteral Feeding in Preterm Infants

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03111329
Acronym
GRASS
Enrollment
95
Registered
2017-04-12
Start date
2017-10-06
Completion date
2021-07-30
Last updated
2024-05-10

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

Conditions

Gastric Residuals Assessment, Necrotizing Enterocolitis of Newborn, Prematurity, Sepsis Newborn

Keywords

Gastric residuals assessment, Prematurity, Necrotizing Enterocolitis of Newborn, Sepsis Newborn, Nutrition of newborn, feeding tolerance of newborn

Brief summary

The study aims to compare routine assessment of gastric residuals versus no assessment of residuals in preterm neonates with respect to time taken for achieving full enteral feeding and the incidence of possible complications, such as feeding intolerance, necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis etc.

Detailed description

In general, regular assessment of gastric residuals and its´ evaluation prior to every feeding is considered standard practice for preterm neonates in neonatal intensive care units. It is believed useful to confirm correct placement of the orogastric or nasogastric tube and thought of as necessary to aid the decision of enteral feeding advancement by informing about possible remains of contents from previous feeding. Furthermore, evaluation of gastric residuals is routinely performed in order to assess for feeding intolerance and used as a possible indicator of risk for development of necrotizing enterocolitis. However there is conflicting evidence to support the approach of routine gastric residuals assessment and it seems unclear whether it confers any clinical benefit. Withholding of enteral feeding or cessation of advancement in the amounts given due to misinterpretation of routine gastric aspirates may have a negative impact on the preterm neonate. This can potentially involve prolonged indwelling of venous catheters, higher risk of infection and growth restriction with potentially worse developmental outcome in particular for very low birth weight infants. This randomized controlled clinical study aims to compare a control group with regular assessment and evaluation of gastric residuals and an intervention group with no routine assessment of residuals prior to feeding advancement, for the time taken to reach full enteral feeding and for occurrence of any observed complications including necrotizing enterocolitis.

Interventions

OTHERNo aspiration of gastric residuals

No assessment of gastric residuals will be performed prior to administering 3-hourly feeds with increasing amounts of the feeds given as per a predefined plan

Sponsors

Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
Institute for the Care of Mother and Child, Prague, Czech Republic
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Open label during intervention, assessor of outcomes will be blinded to group allocations

Intervention model description

Randomization into 2 groups (interventional and control) with crossover rescue strategy.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
26 Weeks to 30 Weeks
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Preterm neonate, born between 26+0 and 30+0 weeks of gestation * Birth weight below 1500g * Parental informed consent obtained

Exclusion criteria

* Intrauterine growth retardation (birth weight below 5th centile for given gestational age and gender) * Life-threatening events requiring full resuscitation at the delivery room (severe hypoxia, bleeding), and persistently raised lactate value of more than 5 mmol/l * Circulatory instability requiring treatment with inotropes * Highly suspected early onset sepsis with alteration of general clinical state, in particular with worsened peripheral perfusion and circulatory decompensation prior to study begin (during the first 6 hours after admission to NICU) * Known malformations of gastrointestinal tract, known diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, any other life-limiting serious congenital malformations

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of days taken to achieve full enteral feeding (i.e. dose of 100ml/kg/day)5 days after delivery for yes or no answer to whether full enteral feeding has been achieved, thereafter daily for the first three weeks until full enteral feeding has been reachedTime taken (in hours) to reach full enteral feeding, defined as overall dose of 100ml of feeds/kg of birth weight/ day

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Total duration of parenteral infusionThrough first (on average) two to three weeks of the study until full enteral feeding is achieved.The length of time (in hours) that parenteral infusion is needed
Total duration of indwelling central venous catheterThrough first (on average) two to three weeks of the study until full enteral feeding is achieved.The length of time (in hours) that an indwelling central venous catheter is needed
HypoglycaemiaThrough first (on average) two to three weeks of the study until full enteral feeding is achieved.Any episodes of hypoglycaemia (value less than 2,5 mmol/l) after attainment of full enteral feeding
Late onset sepsisDuration of hospitalization, an average of 8-15 weeksThe incidence of late onset sepsis
Necrotizing enterocolitisDuration of hospitalization, an average of 8-15 weeksThe incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis
Withholding of enteral feedingThrough first (on average) two to three weeks of the study until full enteral feeding is achieved.The need to withhold enteral feeds due to clinical situation as per clinical judgement of the clinician in charge
Bronchopulmonary dysplasiaAt timepoint of reached 36 gestational weeks of the neonateIncidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Intraventricular and periventricular haemorrhageDuration of hospitalization, an average of 8-15 weeksThe incidence of intraventricular and periventricular haemorrhage (stage I-IV)
Retinopathy of prematurityDuration of hospitalization, an average of 8-15 weeksIncidence of retinopathy of prematurity (stage I-V)
NeurodevelopmentFollow up at 24 months of corrected age of the childAssessment of neurodevelopmental outcome
Spontaneous intestinal perforationDuration of hospitalization, an average of 8-15 weeksThe incidence of spontaneous intestinal perforation

Countries

Czechia, Ireland

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 9, 2026