Modular Neurological Examination for Early Risk Detection (NEUROMODU)

April 16, 2026 updated by: Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS

Application of the Modular Neurological Examination in the Early Identification of Children at Risk for Neurological Pathologies

Despite the availability of increasingly sophisticated instrumental examinations, the neurological assessment of the neonate and infant remains an effective, non-invasive, rapid, and cost-effective method for evaluating the integrity of the nervous system. It represents a fundamental component of the child's overall assessment, allowing for the early identification of risk factors for the development of neurological disorders. Although this examination is part of routine clinical practice, the methods by which it is performed are often suboptimal.

Over time, several attempts have been made to systematise the neurological examination through the development of standardised tools designed to assess both strictly neurological and behavioural aspects. The Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination (HNNE) and the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) currently represent the most widely used instruments in both clinical and research settings, providing an effective means for the early diagnosis of neurological sequelae in children at both low and high risk of neurological damage between 0 and 24 months of age.

Through a modular tool, which requires no more than 15 minutes to administer, it is possible to perform systematic screening with a validated instrument, thereby identifying patients who require further evaluation. In cases where this examination highlights suspicious clinical findings, additional tools can be employed to assess more specific aspects such as hypotonia or visual disorders.

This modular system, developed as a modification of a neurological examination already in worldwide use at our Centre and representing the gold standard reference for the present study, requires further validation in light of new paediatric care standards, which have evolved over the past 20 years since the validation of the original examination.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
300

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Italy
      • Roma, Italy
        • Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Neonates and infants followed by the Child Neuropsychiatry Service of the A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients attending the Child Neuropsychiatry Service of the A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, aged between 0 and 24 months.
  • Patients whose parents/legal guardians have signed the informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Refusal to provide informed consent.
  • Inability to undergo the neurological examination due to clinical conditions that prevent its administration.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination (HNNE)
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of follow-up at 2 years
Modular Neurological Examination for Early Risk Detection. A score above 30.5 is considered normal, whereas a score below 30.5 is considered pathological.
From enrollment to the end of follow-up at 2 years
Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE)
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of follow-up at 2 years
Modular Neurological Examination for Early Risk Detection. Global scores are reported as optimal if they are equal orabove 73 at 9 to 12 months, or equal or above 70 and 67 at 6 months and 3 months respectively.
From enrollment to the end of follow-up at 2 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Domenico Marco Romeo, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 20, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 30, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 9, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 9, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 17127

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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