Beneficial Effects of Antenatal Magnesium Sulfate (BEAM Trial)

Summary

As many more premature infants survive, the numbers of these infants with health problems increases. The rate of cerebral palsy (CP) in extremely premature infants is approximately 20%. Magnesium sulfate, the most commonly used drug in the US to stop premature labor, may prevent CP. This trial tests whether magnesium sulfate given to a woman in labor with a premature fetus (24 to 31 weeks out of 40) will reduce the rate of death or moderate to severe CP in the children at 2 years. The children receive ultrasounds of their brains as infants and attend three follow-up visits over two years to assess their health and development.

Timeline

Start

1997-12

Primary completion

2007-02

Completion

2007-06

Publications

• Background Nelson KB, Grether JK. Can magnesium sulfate reduce the risk of cerebral palsy in very low birthweight infants? Pediatrics. 1995 Feb;95(2):263-9.
• Background Schendel DE, Berg CJ, Yeargin-Allsopp M, Boyle CA, Decoufle P. Prenatal magnesium sulfate exposure and the risk for cerebral palsy or mental retardation among very low-birth-weight children aged 3 to 5 years. JAMA. 1996 Dec 11;276(22):1805-10.
• Background Hallak M, Berry SM, Madincea F, Romero R, Evans MI, Cotton DB. Fetal serum and amniotic fluid magnesium concentrations with maternal treatment. Obstet Gynecol. 1993 Feb;81(2):185-8.
• Background Aziz K, Vickar DB, Sauve RS, Etches PC, Pain KS, Robertson CM. Province-based study of neurologic disability of children weighing 500 through 1249 grams at birth in relation to neonatal cerebral ultrasound findings. Pediatrics. 1995 Jun;95(6):837-44.
• Background Pinto-Martin JA, Riolo S, Cnaan A, Holzman C, Susser MW, Paneth N. Cranial ultrasound prediction of disabling and nondisabling cerebral palsy at age two in a low birth weight population. Pediatrics. 1995 Feb;95(2):249-54.
• Results Rouse DJ, Hirtz DG, Thom E, Varner MW, Spong CY, Mercer BM, Iams JD, Wapner RJ, Sorokin Y, Alexander JM, Harper M, Thorp JM Jr, Ramin SM, Malone FD, Carpenter M, Miodovnik M, Moawad A, O'Sullivan MJ, Peaceman AM, Hankins GD, Langer O, Caritis SN, Roberts JM; Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. A randomized, controlled trial of magnesium sulfate for the prevention of cerebral palsy. N Engl J Med. 2008 Aug 28;359(9):895-905. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0801187.
• Results Costantine MM, Weiner SJ; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network (MFMU). Effects of antenatal exposure to magnesium sulfate on neuroprotection and mortality in preterm infants: a meta-analysis. Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Aug;114(2 Pt 1):354-364. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181ae98c2.
• Buhimschi CS, Jablonski KA, Rouse DJ, Varner MW, Reddy UM, Mercer BM, Leveno KJ, Wapner RJ, Sorokin Y, Thorp JM Jr, Ramin SM, Malone FD, Carpenter MW, O'Sullivan MJ, Peaceman AM, Saade GR, Dudley D, Caritis SN, Buhimschi IA; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. Cord Blood Haptoglobin, Cerebral Palsy and Death in Infants of Women at Risk for Preterm Birth: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomised Controlled Trial. EClinicalMedicine. 2019 Mar 22;9:11-18. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2019.03.009. eCollection 2019 Mar.
• Hirtz DG, Weiner SJ, Bulas D, DiPietro M, Seibert J, Rouse DJ, Mercer BM, Varner MW, Reddy UM, Iams JD, Wapner RJ, Sorokin Y, Thorp JM Jr, Ramin SM, Malone FD, Carpenter MW, O'Sullivan MJ, Peaceman AM, Hankins GD, Dudley D, Caritis SN; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. Antenatal Magnesium and Cerebral Palsy in Preterm Infants. J Pediatr. 2015 Oct;167(4):834-839.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.06.067. Epub 2015 Aug 5.
• Twickler DM, McIntire DD, Alexander JM, Leveno KJ. Effects of magnesium sulfate on preterm fetal cerebral blood flow using Doppler analysis: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Jan;115(1):21-25. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181c4f7c1.

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