Detection of Neurological Manifestations Among Neonates With Sepsis

September 9, 2026 updated by: Amal Abd-Eltawab Hussein Ahmed, Assiut University
This observational prospective study aims to detect neurological menifestations in neonates with sepsis attending Assiut University Children Hospital

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Detailed Description

Neonatal sepsis remains a major global health problem and a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Globally, an estimated 1.3-3.9 million cases occur annually, resulting in approximately 400,000-700,000 deaths each year. It is a life-threatening systemic inflammatory response to bacterial, viral, or fungal infections occurring during the first 28 days of life and may progress to multiorgan dysfunction and death.

Neonatal sepsis is classified into early-onset sepsis (EOS), occurring within the first 72 hours and usually related to vertical maternal transmission, and late-onset sepsis (LOS), occurring after 72 hours up to 28 days and commonly associated with postnatal or hospital-acquired infections.

Neonates are particularly susceptible to sepsis because of immature immune and barrier defenses. Neonatal polymorphonuclear leukocytes have impaired chemotaxis, adherence, and bactericidal activity. Humoral immunity depends largely on maternally derived IgG transferred during the last trimester, making preterm infants especially vulnerable due to reduced transplacental transfer. Immature skin and mucosal barriers further facilitate microbial invasion.

Sepsis results from a dysregulated systemic inflammatory response following failure to control the invading pathogen. Excessive release of cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α, together with vasoactive mediators including nitric oxide, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes, causes endothelial dysfunction, vasodilation, increased vascular permeability, hypotension, impaired tissue perfusion, and potentially multiorgan dysfunction.

The developing neonatal brain is particularly vulnerable to these systemic effects. Inflammatory and vasoactive mediators can disrupt the blood-brain barrier, while cerebral circulatory disturbances, endothelial injury, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and oxidative stress may contribute to central nervous system (CNS) injury. In addition, blood-brain barrier dysfunction may facilitate pathogen entry into the CNS, increasing the risk of meningitis and cerebral dysfunction. Systemic inflammation may also cause white matter injury through oligodendrocyte damage and impaired cerebral perfusion, particularly in preterm infants.

Neurological manifestations of neonatal sepsis may include altered consciousness, seizures, abnormal tone and reflexes, apnea, and feeding difficulties with risk of aspiration. Cohort studies, particularly in preterm infants, have also demonstrated an increased risk of adverse long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes following neonatal sepsis.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

100

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study will include neonates diagnosed with neonatal sepsis who are admitted to the NICU during the study period.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Neonates aged 0-28 days ( both fullterm and preterm neonates).
  • Diagnosed with neonatal sepsis.
  • Admitted to the NICU during the study period.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Neonates with major congenital anomalies of the central nervous system.
  • Neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
  • Neonates with confirmed inborn errors of metabolism.
  • Neonates with chromosomal abnormalities.

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

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
The study will include neonates diagnosed with neonatal sepsis who are admitted to the NICU

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Detection of neurological manifestations among neonates with sepsis.
Time Frame: baseline
baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
- Types of neurological manifestations among neonates with sepsis.
Time Frame: baseline
baseline
- Clinical charatericstics of septic neonates with and without neurological manifestations
Time Frame: baseline
baseline
- laboratory characteristics of septic neonates with and without neurological manifestations
Time Frame: baseline
baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Assiut University

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Emad El-Deen Mahmoud Hammad El-daly, professor, pediatrics Department, Assiut University Hospitals
  • Study Director: Amira Mohamed Shalaby, assistant professor, pediatrics Department, Assiut University Hospitals

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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 (Estimated)

September 5, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

October 5, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 5, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 5, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

September 10, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

September 11, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 9, 2026

Last Verified

September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Neurolgy -Nonates-Assiut-2026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

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.

Subscribe