Protecting kidney health in babies with spina bifida through early bladder care
Urologic Management to Preserve Initial Renal Function Protocol for Young Children with Spina Bifida (UMPIRE) at Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine
This project follows infants and young children with spina bifida to find out whether regular bladder monitoring and treatments like catheterization and medication help protect kidney function and reduce bladder and bowel problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11422035 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This program follows newborns and young children with spina bifida over time with regular bladder imaging, urine testing, and urodynamic studies. Doctors will record when treatments such as clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) and anticholinergic medicines are started and how children respond. The team will track kidney function, urinary tract changes, and quality-of-life measures like urinary and fecal continence. Families will be asked to attend scheduled visits and share medical information so researchers can build long-term data about early management choices.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Newborns and young children diagnosed with spina bifida who are followed at pediatric urology centers would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Adults, people without spina bifida, or children whose renal damage is already advanced would be unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help doctors prevent kidney damage and improve bladder and bowel control for children with spina bifida.
How similar studies have performed: While bladder monitoring and treatments like catheterization are commonly used, there are few prospective, long-term studies documenting their effects on kidney outcomes, so this work addresses an important evidence gap.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jarosz, Susan — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Jarosz, Susan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.