Caffeine treatment for late preterm infants with breathing difficulties

Caffeine for Late Preterm Infants: A Double Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Phase2; Phase3 Interventional Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia · NCT06026163

This study tests if giving caffeine to late preterm infants with breathing problems can help them breathe better and shorten their hospital stay.

Quick facts

PhasePhase2; Phase3
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment134 (estimated)
Ages1 Day to 3 Days
SexAll
SponsorMinistry of Health, Saudi Arabia Government
Locations2 sites (Madinah, Medina Region and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT06026163 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study investigates the effects of caffeine citrate on late preterm infants experiencing respiratory distress. Infants will be randomly assigned to receive either caffeine or a placebo, with the aim of assessing how caffeine impacts their respiratory support needs, hospital stay duration, and frequency of apnea events. The caffeine treatment group will receive a loading dose followed by a maintenance dose until they no longer require respiratory support. The study is designed to be double-blinded to ensure unbiased results.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are late preterm infants aged 34 to 36 weeks gestation who are experiencing respiratory distress and require respiratory support.

Not a fit: Patients who are late preterm but do not require significant respiratory support or have non-respiratory issues will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could significantly reduce the duration of respiratory support and hospital stays for late preterm infants.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown promising results with caffeine therapy in preterm infants, suggesting potential for success in this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Newborn infants at gestational age 34 0/7 through 36 6/7
* Presented with respiratory distress
* Require respiratory support in the form of any of the following :

A) Invasive mechanical ventilation, B) Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation, C) Nasal cannula with FIO2 requirement over 50% to keep pre-ductal saturation between 90-95%.

Exclusion Criteria:

1 - Late preterm admitted for non-respiratory etiologies 2- Late preterm infants requiring nasal cannula on less than 50% FIO2 by 4 hours of age as they are less likely to require respiratory support for a long time.

3- Newborn infants with congenital malformations and chromosomal anomalies. 4- Infants with echocardiographic evidence of PPHN requiring medical intervention.

5- Late preterm with history of maternal substance abuse

Where this trial is running

Madinah, Medina Region and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions PrematurityRespiratory DiseaseVentilator LungNewborncaffeinepretermnewbornrespiratory support
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.