How blood transfusions and feeding affect the gut of very preterm babies
Official title: Mechanisms Affecting the Gut of Preterm Infants Receiving Blood Transfusion With Different Enteral Feed Interventions
Run by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust · NCT07191678 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We will test if continuing versus stopping milk feeds during blood transfusions changes gut and brain oxygen levels in very preterm babies.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 23 Weeks to 30 Weeks |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 270 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (London) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 3, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | April 30, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | April 1, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07191678 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Very preterm infants born between 23 and less than 30 weeks gestation who are enrolled in the WHEAT trial and whose parents provide written consent are eligible, provided they are stable enough for non-invasive monitoring.
✕Probably not a fit
Infants who already have Bell stage 2 or higher NEC, have had bowel surgery or major congenital abdominal anomalies, or are too clinically unstable for monitoring are unlikely to benefit from this mechanistic monitoring.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
MAGPIE-2 is a mechanistic observational study nested within the WHEAT randomized trial, which randomizes very preterm infants to either withhold or continue enteral feeds during red blood cell transfusion. The study will recruit about 270 infants already enrolled in WHEAT and perform weekly and peri-transfusion monitoring using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and Doppler ultrasound. NIRS will measure cerebral and splanchnic tissue oxygenation to calculate the splanchnic-cerebral oxygenation ratio (SCOR), while Doppler will assess superior mesenteric artery blood flow. The goal is to identify physiological changes in gut perfusion and oxygenation that might explain links between transfusion, feeding practice, and NEC risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide feeding practices around transfusion to reduce NEC risk and improve outcomes for very preterm infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous observational studies have reported a temporal link between transfusion and NEC and smaller NIRS/Doppler studies have shown peri-transfusion changes in gut oxygenation, but results are mixed and mechanisms remain unproven.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Very preterm babies (born between 23 to \<30 weeks of gestational age ) in the WHEAT International trial * Written informed consent from parents Exclusion Criteria: * Babies who are deemed too unstable to perform the non-invasive monitoring and the ultrasound scan measurements by the attending clinical team * Babies who have already developed Bells stage 2 NEC, had bowel surgery or congenital abdominal conditions such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia, gastroschisis and exomphalos
Where it's running
-
Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea Hospital, Neontal Unit
London, United Kingdom Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Jayanta Banerjee, MD (RES), FRCPCH, MBBS
- Email: jayanta.banerjee@nhs.net
- Phone: 07771826045
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.