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Neonatal SepsisNCT00947518

Safety of Skin Cleansing With Chlorhexidine in Preterm Low Birth Weight Infants

A study testing Chlorhexidine and Normal saline in people with Neonatal Sepsis and Low Birth Weight, run by All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to examine if single skin cleansing with 0.25% chlorhexidine affects skin condition, temperature, and bacterial colonization in stable preterm (28-36 weeks gestational age) low birth weight (1001-2000 g) infants admitted in a health facility. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 1 hour to 3 hours
Conditions the study is for
Neonatal Sepsis, Low Birth Weight
What is being tested?
Chlorhexidine and Normal saline
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
60 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
Aug 2005to Feb 2006
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 1 hour to 3 hours
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Preterm infants of 28 to 36 weeks' gestation
  • Birth weights between 1001 and 2000 g

Who cannot join

  • Infants with one minute Apgar score < 4
  • Hemodynamic instability
  • Congenital malformations
  • Generalized skin disorder and
  • Infants who need respiratory support (continuous positive airway pressure and/or intermittent mandatory ventilation) in the first 2-3 hours of life

About this study

Official title: Does Skin Cleansing With Chlorhexidine Affect Skin Condition, Temperature and Colonization in Hospitalized Preterm Low Birth Weight Infants?: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The purpose of this study is to examine if single skin cleansing with 0.25% chlorhexidine affects skin condition, temperature, and bacterial colonization in stable preterm (28-36 weeks gestational age) low birth weight (1001-2000 g) infants admitted in a health facility.

Read the detailed description

Infections are the leading cause of death in neonates admitted to hospital - studies from developing countries suggest that about 25-71% of deaths occurring in neonatal intensive care units are secondary to infections.Such high infection-related mortality mandates an urgent implementation of simple and effective measures to prevent the occurrence of infections in these units.

The majority of neonatal infections occur in the first two weeks of life, when the epidermal barrier is immature and functionally compromised. Topical application of antiseptics until the skin matures could theoretically prevent skin colonization and reduce the incidence of systemic infections in neonates. Chlorhexidine, a broad-spectrum antiseptic used frequently for umbilical cord care in neonates, is now being evaluated for topical application to the skin. Hospital-based studies, involving predominantly term infants, have shown reductions in skin flora8 and a reduction in the incidence of sepsis following topical chlorhexidine application. In a community-based study in Nepal, a single skin cleansing with 0.25% chlorhexidine resulted in reduction in mortality among low birth weight infants; though the mechanism of the impact could not be determined, it was presumably due to increased susceptibility to transcutaneous sepsis in the low birth weight group.

Since the risk of infection in neonates is inversely related to their gestation, it is essential to evaluate the effect and the mechanism of such intervention in preterm neonates. These infants are, however, more prone to develop skin reactions following use of topical antiseptics. Preterm infants are also more prone to develop hypothermia following bathing/cleansing with antiseptic solution(s).

Since few studies have evaluated the effects of topical application of chlorhexidine in preterm infants admitted in a health care facility, we conducted the present study to examine if single skin cleansing with 0.25% chlorhexidine immediately after birth affects skin condition, temperature, and colonization in hospitalized preterm low birth weight infants.

Being tested
Chlorhexidine, Normal saline
Keywords
chlorhexidine, preterm, newborn, skin condition, temperature, skin flora
Medical subject headings
Neonatal Sepsis, Premature Birth, Skin Diseases

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • ChlorhexidineDrug

    Baby wipes containing 0.25% free chlorhexidine (equivalent to 0.44% chlorhexidine digluconate)

  • Normal salineDrug

    Cleansing the skin (except the face)with baby wipes containing normal saline

Study groups in NCT00947518
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Chlorhexidine skin cleansingExperimentalWiping the skin (except the face) once immediately after birth using baby wipes containing 0.25% free chlorhexidine (equivalent to 0.44% chlorhexidine digluconate)
Receives: Drug: Chlorhexidine
Saline skin cleansingPlacebo comparatorWiping the skin (except the face) once immediately after birth using baby wipes containing normal saline
Receives: Drug: Normal saline
No skin cleansingNo interventionNo skin application

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Median Skin Condition Score on the 9-point Skin Condition Grading Scale Adapted by Darmstadt From Lane et al

    The skin condition grading scale assesses the condition of the skin on the abdomen and dorsum of the hands/feet based on drying, erythema, crusting, oozing, etc. on a continuous scale from 1 (normal) to 9 (vesicles or pustules)

    Measured: At 24 hours

  2. Skin Temperature at 30 Min After Intervention

    Axillary skin temperature measured by a clinical thermometer kept in axilla for 3 minutes

    Measured: at 30 min after intervention

  3. Number of Participants With Positive Skin Culture at Axilla

    Occurrence of any bacterial flora irrespective of the colony count in the skin swabs from axilla at 24 hrs after intervention

    Measured: 24 hours after intervention

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Incidence of Clinical and Culture Positive Sepsis

    Infants with symptoms and/or signs suggestive of sepsis and a positive blood culture (with known pathogens and coagulase negative staphylococcus) were diagnosed to have culture positive sepsis; Those with negative cultures but with positive sepsis screen were classified as having clinical sepsis

    Measured: First week of life

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted28 Jul 2009 (estimated)
  2. Study startAug 2005
  3. Primary completionFeb 2006
  4. Study completionFeb 2006

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
60 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00947518
Sponsor's protocol ID
10/2004
Status last verified
Jun 2009
First submitted
20 Apr 2009
Last updated
25 Jun 2018
Data monitoring committee
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Chlorhexidine and Normal saline in people with Neonatal Sepsis and Low Birth Weight, run by All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Jun 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 28 Jul 2009). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Median Skin Condition Score on the 9-point Skin Condition Grading Scale Adapted by Darmstadt From Lane et al (time frame: At 24 hours). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Jun 2018.

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