OXYCAP STUDY
Research type
Research Study
Full title
EFFECT OF OXYGEN THERAPY ON CAPILLARY MICROCIRCULATION IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABIES
IRAS ID
135908
Contact name
Tarek Antonios
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
St George,s University of London
Research summary
High blood pressure affects one in four adults in the United kingdom. The reason for high blood pressure is not known. We have previously found that small blood vessels (ie capillaries) in the skin were found to be reduced in adults with high blood pressure compared to those with normal blood pressure. Low birth weight babies in particular were at increased chance of developing high blood pressure and heart diseases during adulthood.
However we have recently found that low birth weight babies have higher number of capillaries at birth instead of reduced capillaries we observe in adults with high blood pressure. We believe that conditions after birth may have an important role in pruning of capillaries . Some low birth weight babies may require oxygen treatment after birth. Low birth weight babies born premature (< 37 weeks) may have be exposed to higher amount of oxygen even without oxygen treatment . Few research studies done before have shown that oxygen treatment during early day of the babies may have a negative effect on small blood vessels. The effect of oxygen treatment on the health of skin capillaries in low birth weight babies and pruning of capillaries is not known.
This study aims to assess the number of capillaries in the skin of low birth weight babies who receive oxygen treatment and without oxygen treatment in . We will compare them with normal birth weight babies. We wish to use a technique called Orthogonal polarized spectroscopy (OPS), which is an entirely painless and non-invasive technique and pose no harm to the baby. We will measure the capillaries on 1st, 5th and 10th day of the baby stay in the hospital. We will also obtain blood and urine sample from the baby during the study period.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1449
Date of REC Opinion
13 Dec 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion