UMPIRE Protocol: Preserving Kidney Function in Young Children with Spina Bifida
Official title: Seattle Children's Urologic Management to Preserve Initial Renal Function Protocol for Young Children with Spina Bifida (UMPIRE Protocol) (Component C)
Funded at Seattle Children's Hospital · NIH-11616590 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pediatric kidney-preservation study aims to improve long-term kidney function in young children with spina bifida.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2019 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $40,000 |
| NIH project number | 6U01DD001284-05M005 |
| Project ID | NIH-11616590 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are young children diagnosed with spina bifida who are under pediatric urology care and whose clinicians seek to preserve initial renal function.
✕Less likely to help
Children with spina bifida for whom the protocol is not clinically appropriate or who have conditions that preclude participation may not benefit.
What this research studies
This NIH-funded project focuses on a protocol called UMPIRE that seeks to preserve initial kidney function in young children with spina bifida. It involves a coordinated care approach at Seattle Children’s Hospital, led by Jennifer Ahn, to optimize management during early childhood. The study is conducted as an NIH U01 with a clear clinical aim to benefit affected children and their families over several years. Researchers will collect data and apply standardized care processes across participants to understand outcomes. Families may expect ongoing participation through visits and health updates as the protocol progresses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the protocol could help maintain better kidney health and reduce future kidney-related problems for children with spina bifida.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in pediatric urology suggests that early, standardized management can influence kidney outcomes, but this exact UMPIRE protocol is a novel application in this age group.
Where this research is happening
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Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ahn, Jennifer — Seattle Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Ahn, Jennifer
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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UMPIRE: Better Urologic Care for Babies with Spina Bifida
This grant tests how to best protect kidney function in newborns with spina bifida by comparing and refining urologic care practices across multiple hospitals.
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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.
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.