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Central Line Bloodstream InfectionsNCT00964093

The Effectiveness of Silver Alginate (Algidex) Patch in the Prevention of Central Line Infections in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

A study testing Silver Alginate in people with Central Line Bloodstream Infections, run by Baylor Research Institute at 1 site in United States.

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 determine whether silver alginate (Algidex) patch is effective in the prevention of central line infections in very low birth weight infants. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 1 day to 3 weeks
Conditions the study is for
Central Line Bloodstream Infections
What is being tested?
Silver Alginate
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
100 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
23 Nov 2008to 20 Aug 2015
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

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 day to 3 weeks
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Infants with birth weights between 500 and 1500 grams admitted to the NICU with any of the following lines will be eligible for inclusion in this study
  • umbilical arterial line (UAL)
  • umbilical venous line (UVL)
  • peripheral arterial line (PAL)
  • peripheral long line (PLL)
  • central venous line (CVL)
  • Each eligible subject will be randomized to receive either standard of care or silver alginate dressing. Dressings will be changed every 7 days in accordance to current facility protocols.

Who cannot join

  • 1. Any infant born with a lethal abnormality or who has received topical Silver therapy will be excluded from the study.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Baylor University Medical Center - Women and Children's Services

    Dallas, Texas, 75204

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: The Efficacy of Silver Alginate (Algidex®) Dressing in Reducing Central Line Infections in Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) Infants: A Multicenter Collaborative Randomized Controlled Trial.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether silver alginate (Algidex) patch is effective in the prevention of central line infections in very low birth weight infants.

Read the detailed description

With rapid technological advancement, the increased use of vascular catheters has not only improved patient care strategies, but also contributed to the risk of infection. Unfortunately, catheter related blood stream infections still remain one of the major causes of morbidity in VLBW infants. In the United States, approximately 850,000 infections are attributed to catheters annually, occurring primarily in intensive care unit patients. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development stated that 20% of infants less than 1500 grams will have at least one positive blood culture delaying their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

One approach to reducing the incidence of infection could be utilizing the antimicrobial properties of silver. Silver alginate has been proven safe and beneficial in the adult population in preventing catheter related infections. Studies done in mice and rats suggest acute toxicity occurring when the animals were given 23 mg of silver acetate/kg of body weight and chronic toxicity noticed when animals were given 1.5 mg/kg/day (5) Chronic toxicity in humans was shown with ingestion of 13 mg/kg/day (3) In our recently concluded pilot randomized controlled trial done in VLBW infants, safety of silver alginate was demonstrated by lack of skin reactions to the patches and mild increase in serum silver level ( Khattak et al; Pediatrics research March 2008, clinicaltrials.gov id: NCT00593684 ). However, there is no clinical evidence of efficacy in VLBW neonatal population. Based on the data from our pilot safety study, we hypothesize that using silver alginate dressing in this population will be efficacious in the prevention of blood stream infections. Although initial studies suggest that absorbed silver is not in a range toxic to human infants, we will continue to monitor silver levels in certain infants.

Being tested
Silver Alginate
Keywords
premature, infection, central line, very low birth weight, silver alginate, Algidex, neonatal, NICU
Medical subject headings
Premature Birth, Infections

What participants receive

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

  • Silver AlginateDevice

    (Algidex ™)

Study groups in NCT00964093
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
No interventionNo interventionNot described
Receives: Device: Silver Alginate

What is being measured

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

  1. The primary objective of this trial is to assess the efficacy of silver alginate dressing in reducing central line infections in VLBW infants

    Measured: 2 years

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. The secondary objectives are to compare mortality and total days of hospitalization between the groups. Safety will be assessed by obtaining silver levels, skin integrity, and adverse events related to the dressing.

    Measured: 2 years

Timeline

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

  1. First posted24 Aug 2009 (estimated)
  2. Study start23 Nov 2008
  3. Primary completion25 Aug 2014
  4. Study completion20 Aug 2015

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
Enrolment
100 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00964093
Sponsor's protocol ID
008-299
Status last verified
Jan 2026
First submitted
21 Aug 2009
Last updated
23 Mar 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Silver Alginate in people with Central Line Bloodstream Infections, run by Baylor Research Institute at 1 site in United States.

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 7 inclusion and 1 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 23 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. 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?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

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?

The primary objective of this trial is to assess the efficacy of silver alginate dressing in reducing central line infections in VLBW infants (time frame: 2 years). 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 23 Mar 2026.

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