The PEPS-trial; ‘Probiotic supplementation of extremely preterm infants in Scandinavia: A double-blind randomized control multicenter trial to reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis and mortality’ had its first non-digital national meeting in Sigtuna 8-9 February 2024.
Following on from a Swedish Research Council grant in early 2023 the PEPS trial is now well underway. Ten university hospitals in Sweden and Denmark are taking part so far, as well as 27 satellite hospitals.
The aim is to enroll 1620 extremely premature infants born before 28 weeks’ gestational age and investigate whether probiotic supplementation reduces the risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and neonatal mortality. The study is estimated to go on for approximately four years and the coordinators are based at Karolinska Institute/Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden.
A first non-digital meeting was held 8-9 February 2024 in Sigtuna, near Stockholm where the coordinating team together met with the principal investigators as well as some of the research nurses involved.
There was an extensive agenda including evaluation of trial to date, updates from each study site, logistical aspects, as well as specific plans för 2024 and for the longer-term future.
”This is an exciting project which will have considerable impact on future clinical treatment of these vulnerable infants” said Magnus Domellöf, principal investigator for the Umeå university hospital site.
Read more about the study on its dedicated website https://www.peps-trial.com/ and on https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05604846
