NCT03079388

Brief Summary

Acute malnutrition in pregnancy is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in mothers and their unborn children. Undernutrition during pregnancy can result in maternal complications such as life-threatening hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and infant complications such as intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight, pre-term delivery and poor cognitive development. Poor women in the developing world are at heightened risk of malnutrition due to inadequate dietary intake and are subject to transmission of a number of infections including malaria, intestinal helminths, and genitourinary infections. Food interventions for malnutrition may be less effective under conditions with excessive inflammation and infection, and especially so during pregnancy. Without specifically addressing treatment for infections, undernourished mothers may be less responsive to nutritional interventions. The benefits of treating both malnutrition and common infections simultaneously remain largely unstudied. This study tests the hypothesis that malnourished pregnant women receiving 100 grams per day of a specially formulated ready-to-use supplementary food in addition to a combination of 5 anti-infective interventions will have greater weight gain in pregnancy and deliver larger, longer infants than women receiving the standard of care. The outcome of the pregnancy and maternal nutritional status will be followed until 6 months after delivery.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
1,489

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable pregnancy

Timeline
Completed

Started Feb 2017

Typical duration for not_applicable pregnancy

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

February 27, 2017

Completed
6 days until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

March 5, 2017

Completed
9 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

March 14, 2017

Completed
2.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 24, 2019

Completed
5 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

February 24, 2020

Completed
Last Updated

January 7, 2021

Status Verified

January 1, 2021

Enrollment Period

2.6 years

First QC Date

March 5, 2017

Last Update Submit

January 5, 2021

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Infant birth length

    mean birth length of infants born to mothers in the study

    up to 40 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (8)

  • Maternal weight gain

    up to 40 weeks

  • Proportion recovered from maternal malnutrition

    up to 40 weeks

  • Premature delivery

    up to 36 weeks

  • Newborn head circumference

    up to 40 weeks

  • Infant birth weight

    up to 40 weeks

  • +3 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Ready-to-use supplementary food + anti-infective bundle

EXPERIMENTAL

The women randomized to this arm will receive a ready-to-use-supplementary food (RUSF) designed specifically for pregnancy. The RUSF will provide a total of 520 kcal, 18 g protein, and 200% of recommended daily allowance (RDA) for most micronutrients during pregnancy. The supplement is also optimized to provide excellent protein quality and optimal polyunsaturated fatty acid composition. These women will receive 5 anti-infective interventions: 1) insecticide-treated mosquito net, 2) monthly intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) 3) azithromycin at the second and third trimester 4) albendazole given in second trimester, and 5) bacterial vaginosis testing and treatment at enrollment and again at weeks 28-34

Dietary Supplement: Ready-to-use-supplementary foodDrug: Monthly intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp)Other: Insecticide-treated mosquito netDrug: AzithromycinDrug: AlbendazoleCombination Product: Bacterial vaginosis testing and treatment

Corn-soy-blend

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The women randomized to this arm will receive the standard of care for Sierra Leone. The treatment provided to women in this group includes 3.5 kg super cereal with 350 g vegetable oil every two weeks. This provides 250 mg portion/day of the super cereal and 25g oil/day for the mother. Women will receive the food for the duration of their pregnancy. These women will receive the current recommendations of the government of Sierra Leone, which includes standard intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) of 2 doses of sulfadoxine/ pyrimethamine, iron and folic acid supplement with a goal of 90 pills/pregnancy, an insecticide-treated mosquito net, and albendazole for deworming in the second trimester.

Dietary Supplement: Corn-soy-blendDrug: Standard intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp)Other: Insecticide-treated mosquito netDrug: Albendazole

Interventions

Specially formulated supplementary food for pregnancy

Ready-to-use supplementary food + anti-infective bundle
Corn-soy-blendDIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Standard of care for malnutrition in pregnancy in Sierra Leone

Corn-soy-blend

Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (500 mg / 25 mg) given every 4 weeks, beginning at enrollment or at 13 weeks' gestation, whichever is later.

Also known as: Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine
Ready-to-use supplementary food + anti-infective bundle

Standard of care for Sierra Leone is 2 doses of sulfadoxine/ pyrimethamine (500mg/ 25mg).

Also known as: Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine
Corn-soy-blend

An insecticide-treated mosquito net at the time of enrollment into the study.

Corn-soy-blendReady-to-use supplementary food + anti-infective bundle

Azithromycin 1 gram given once in second trimester and again during weeks 28-34 of gestation.

Ready-to-use supplementary food + anti-infective bundle

Single dose albendazole 400mg given in the second trimester.

Corn-soy-blendReady-to-use supplementary food + anti-infective bundle

Testing for bacterial vaginosis at enrollment and again at weeks 28-34 using a rapid diagnostic test for sialidase. Those with positive tests will receive extended release metronidazole 750mg daily for 7 days.

Ready-to-use supplementary food + anti-infective bundle

Eligibility Criteria

Age14 Years+
Sexfemale(Gender-based eligibility)
Gender Eligibility DetailsMust be pregnant woman
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Pregnant women and consenting to study participation
  • Fundal height not greater than 32 cm
  • Mid-upper arm circumference ≤23 cm
  • Planning to reside in the study area during pregnancy and 6 months post partum
  • Attending 1 of the 40 antenatal clinic sites

You may not qualify if:

  • \< 16 years of age without adult willing to consent
  • Known pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, hypertension

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

1 Moriba Street

Pujehun, Pujehun District, Sierra Leone

Location

Related Publications (3)

  • Hendrixson DT, Lasowski PN, Koroma AS, Manary MJ. Newborn Mid-Upper Arm Circumference Identifies Low-Birth Weight and Vulnerable Infants: A Secondary Analysis. Curr Dev Nutr. 2022 Sep 12;6(10):nzac138. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzac138. eCollection 2022 Oct.

  • Hendrixson DT, Smith K, Lasowski P, Callaghan-Gillespie M, Weber J, Papathakis P, Iversen PO, Koroma AS, Manary MJ. A novel intervention combining supplementary food and infection control measures to improve birth outcomes in undernourished pregnant women in Sierra Leone: A randomized, controlled clinical effectiveness trial. PLoS Med. 2021 Sep 28;18(9):e1003618. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003618. eCollection 2021 Sep.

  • Hendrixson DT, Koroma AS, Callaghan-Gillespie M, Weber J, Papathakis P, Manary MJ. Use of a novel supplementary food and measures to control inflammation in malnourished pregnant women in Sierra Leone to improve birth outcomes: study protocol for a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical effectiveness trial. BMC Nutr. 2018 Apr 2;4:15. doi: 10.1186/s40795-018-0218-y. eCollection 2018.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Nutrition DisordersGrowth Disorders

Interventions

fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combinationInsecticide-Treated BednetsAzithromycinAlbendazoleTherapeutics

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Nutritional and Metabolic DiseasesPathologic ProcessesPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mosquito NetsProtective DevicesEquipment and SuppliesErythromycinMacrolidesPolyketidesLactonesOrganic ChemicalsCarbamatesAcids, AcyclicCarboxylic AcidsBenzimidazolesHeterocyclic Compounds, 2-RingHeterocyclic Compounds, Fused-RingHeterocyclic Compounds

Study Officials

  • Mark J Manary, MD

    Washington University School of Medicine

    STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

March 5, 2017

First Posted

March 14, 2017

Study Start

February 27, 2017

Primary Completion

September 24, 2019

Study Completion

February 24, 2020

Last Updated

January 7, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-01

Locations