UMPIRE: Better Urologic Care for Babies with Spina Bifida
Official title: Urologic Management to Preserve Initial Renal Function Protocol for Young Children with Spina Bifida (UMPIRE)
Funded at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago · NIH-11616603 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests how to best protect kidney function in newborns with spina bifida by comparing and refining urologic care practices across multiple hospitals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2019 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $41,999 |
| NIH project number | 6U01DD001271-05M006 |
| Project ID | NIH-11616603 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Infants diagnosed with spina bifida who require early urologic evaluation and management.
✕Less likely to help
Patients outside the infant age range or without spina bifida-related urologic issues may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Spina bifida can affect the bladder and kidneys, so doctors start urologic care early. The UMPIRE protocol brings together several hospitals to use best-practice approaches and collect data on kidney health, bladder function, infections, continence, and potential surgeries. Over the next five years, researchers will link specific care steps to outcomes like renal function and urinary tract health to improve guidelines for newborns. The study builds on a multi-institutional effort to define which practices truly help young children with this condition.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may receive clearer, more effective early urologic care that protects kidney function and reduces complications.
How similar studies have gone: Previous multi-institutional efforts in pediatric urology have shown that standardized best practices improve outcomes; UMPIRE aims to refine these practices specifically for spina bifida.
Where this research is happening
-
Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chu, David — Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Chu, David
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving care and outcomes for people living with spina bifida in Wisconsin
A patient-friendly project aims to improve everyday care and health outcomes for people with spina bifida in Wisconsin.
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The National Spina Bifida Patient Registry at University of Pittsburgh
A national registry project at the University of Pittsburgh aims to collect and organize information about people with spina bifida to improve care.
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Improving Care and Outcomes for People Living with Spina Bifida
A patient-friendly project aims to improve how people with spina bifida are cared for and how well they do over time.
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Scoliosis and neurosurgical factors in myelomeningocele: a clinic registry study
This project uses registry data from Penn State’s Spina Bifida Clinic to understand how brain and spine-related issues influence when and why scoliosis surgery is needed in people with myelomeningocele.
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Spina Bifida Collaborative Care Network to Improve Outcomes
A national program is expanding coordinated care networks and a patient registry to help people with Spina Bifida get better, more consistent care.
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UMPIRE Protocol: Improving Kidney Health for Children with Spina Bifida
A long-term plan to standardize how doctors care for babies and young kids with spina bifida to protect their kidney function.
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.