Dopamine vs. Norepinephrine for Hypotension in Neonates With Pulmonary Hypertension (DONE)
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Dopamine administration, Norepinephrine.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Hypotension and Shock, Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN), Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure. Basic parameters: up to 28 Days · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Dopamine vs. Norepinephrine in Term and Late Preterm Neonates With Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure and Systemic Hypotension Due to Pulmonary Hypertension: A Pilot Trial
Overview
This pilot randomized clinical trial compares dopamine and norepinephrine as first-line vasoactive therapies in term and late preterm neonates with pulmonary hypertension associated with hypoxemic respiratory failure and systemic hypotension. Systemic hypotension is a common and clinically significant complication of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) and frequently requires vasopressor support to maintain adequate systemic perfusion. Dopamine is commonly used in this setting; however, prior animal experimental and clinical data suggest it may increase pulmonary vascular resistance, potentially worsening right ventricular afterload and hypoxemia. Norepinephrine may preferentially increase systemic vascular resistance with less effect on the pulmonary circulation. This study evaluates short-term hemodynamic and oxygenation responses following initiation of dopamine or norepinephrine.
Detailed description
Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a serious cardiopulmonary disorder characterized by sustained elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance, leading to right-to-left shunting, impaired oxygenation, and increased morbidity and mortality. In addition to hypoxemic respiratory failure, many infants with PPHN develop systemic hypotension. Management of systemic hypotension in this population is complex, as vasoactive medications may have differing effects on systemic and pulmonary circulations.
Dopamine is widely used as first-line therapy for neonatal hypotension because of its dose-dependent dopaminergic and adrenergic effects. However, both animal models and clinical observations suggest that dopamine may increase pulmonary vascular resistance in neonates with PPHN. Norepinephrine, a predominantly alpha-adrenergic agonist with modest beta-adrenergic activity, may provide more selective augmentation of systemic vascular resistance while exerting less influence on pulmonary vascular tone. Despite the increasing clinical use of norepinephrine in neonatal intensive care units, there are no prospective trials comparing dopamine and norepinephrine in neonates with PPHN.
This is a single-center, cluster-randomized, pilot clinical trial enrolling term and late preterm neonates with hypoxemic respiratory failure, echocardiographic evidence of pulmonary hypertension, and systemic hypotension that persists despite initial fluid resuscitation. Eligible infants are assigned by time-based cluster randomization to receive either dopamine or norepinephrine as first-line vasoactive therapy, consistent with standard clinical practice in the neonatal intensive care unit. Informed consent is obtained for research-specific procedures, including serial targeted neonatal echocardiography, while vasoactive medication use follows established clinical protocols.
Interventions
- Drug Dopamine administration
Infants meeting the inclusion criteria who are randomized to dopamine arm will receive dopamine infusion starting at 5 mcg/kg/min, titrated to mean arterial pressure targets based on gestational age, max dose 20 mcg/kg/min. - Drug Norepinephrine
Infants meeting the inclusion criteria who are randomized to norepinephrine arm will receive norepinephrine infusion starting at 0.02 mcg/kg/min, titrated to mean arterial pressure targets based on gestational age, max dose 1 mcg/kg/min.
Primary outcome measures
- SAP/PAP ratio [Time frame: Within 30 hours of vasopressor initiation.]
- LV Cardiac output [Time frame: Within 30 hours of vasopressor initiation]
- Oxygenation Indices [Time frame: Within 30 hours of vasopressor initiation]
Secondary outcome measures (3)
- Use of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) [Time frame: Within 30 hours of vasopressor initiation]
- Need for additional vasoactive agents [Time frame: Within 30 hours of vasopressor initiation]
- Echocardiographic markers of heart function [Time frame: Within 30 hours of vasopressor initiation]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Postmenstrual age > 34 6/7 weeks and Postnatal age ≤ 28 days
- On respiratory support (Invasive mechanical ventilation, NIPPV, CPAP, HFNC ≥ 2 LPM) and FiO2 ≥ 0.3
- Echocardiographic evidence of pulmonary hypertension
- Mean arterial pressure below the threshold for gestational age despite a 10-20 mL/kg fluid bolus
Permissible Comorbidities: CDH, trisomy 21, HIE on hypothermia, PDA, PFO/ASD, VSD < 2 mm
Exclusion criteria
- Gestational age < 32 weeks
- Severe hypoxic respiratory failure (OI > 35 or SpO2 < 75% on 100% FiO2 for > 60 minutes)
- Lethal anomalies (e.g., trisomy 13 or 18)
- Complex congenital heart disease beyond specified criteria
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- UC Davis Children's Hospital — Sacramento
Publications
- Jain A, El-Khuffash AF, van Herpen CH, Resende MHF, Giesinger RE, Weisz D, Mertens L, Jankov RP, McNamara PJ. Cardiac Function and Ventricular Interactions in Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2021 Feb 1;22(2):e145-e157. doi: 10.1097/PCC.0000000000002579. PMID 33044416
- Lesneski AL, Vali P, Hardie ME, Lakshminrusimha S, Sankaran D. Randomized Trial of Oxygen Saturation Targets during and after Resuscitation and Reversal of Ductal Flow in an Ovine Model of Meconium Aspiration and Pulmonary Hypertension. Children (Basel). 2021 Jul 14;8(7):594. doi: 10.3390/children8070594. PMID 34356574
- Siefkes HM, Lakshminrusimha S. Management of systemic hypotension in term infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn: an illustrated review. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2021 Jul;106(4):446-455. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2020-319705. Epub 2021 Jan 21. PMID 33478959
- Lakshminrusimha S. The pulmonary circulation in neonatal respiratory failure. Clin Perinatol. 2012 Sep;39(3):655-83. doi: 10.1016/j.clp.2012.06.006. PMID 22954275
- Tourneux P, Rakza T, Bouissou A, Krim G, Storme L. Pulmonary circulatory effects of norepinephrine in newborn infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension. J Pediatr. 2008 Sep;153(3):345-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2008.03.007. Epub 2008 May 12. PMID 18534241
- Steinhorn RH. Neonatal pulmonary hypertension. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2010 Mar;11(2 Suppl):S79-84. doi: 10.1097/PCC.0b013e3181c76cdc. PMID 20216169
- Sankaran D, Lakshminrusimha S. Pulmonary hypertension in the newborn- etiology and pathogenesis. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2022 Aug;27(4):101381. doi: 10.1016/j.siny.2022.101381. Epub 2022 Aug 7. PMID 35963740
- McNamara PJ, Giesinger RE, Lakshminrusimha S. Dopamine and Neonatal Pulmonary Hypertension-Pressing Need for a Better Pressor? J Pediatr. 2022 Jul;246:242-250. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.03.022. Epub 2022 Mar 18. No abstract available. PMID 35314154
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07322133 · 2339428 · GFDS25