This Multicentre Study Compares aCUP-E With Standard Electrodes During aEEG Monitoring in NICU Newborns at Risk of Encephalopathy, Assessing Recording Quality, Reliability, Ease of Use and Safety. (aCUP HUSJR/J23)

November 2, 2026 updated by: Institut Investigacio Sanitaria Pere Virgili

Anàlisis Comparatiu Del Registre aEEG Realitzat Amb Elèctrodes Comercials i Amb l'Elèctrode aCUP-E (Advanced Cup Electrode) en Nounats Amb Risc de Patir Una Encefalopatia

This multicentre, observational, prospective and comparative study aims to validate the use of the new aCUP-E electrode for aEEG monitoring in newborns admitted to the NICU, comparing it with conventional electrodes currently used at two hospitals: Salut Sant Joan de Reus - Baix Camp and Hospital Universitari de Tarragona Joan XXIII.

A total of 35 newborns at risk of encephalopathy will be recruited.

During aEEG monitoring, one type of electrode will be placed on each cerebral hemisphere: on one hemisphere, the standard electrode normally used according to each hospital's protocol, and on the other, the new aCUP-E electrode. This design allows direct comparison under similar conditions to assess recording quality, reliability and ease of use. The multicentre methodology also facilitates a more representative and diverse sample, increasing the robustness and generalisability of the results.

This study seeks to determine whether aCUP-E can replace conventional electrodes, offering a safe and effective alternative that improves the quality of neonatal neurological monitoring and adapts to different clinical contexts.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Encephalopathy

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

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

Name: Vicenç Pascual, Clinical Neurophisyiologist
Phone Number: 53160 34977 31 03 00
Email: vicenc.pascual@salutsantjoan.cat

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

6 months to 9 months (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Overall, the three cohorts together involve the inclusion of a maximum of 35 neonates, a number considered adequate to achieve the technical, functional and clinical objectives of the study, while maintaining a balance between methodological robustness, recruitment feasibility and minimisation of the care burden on an especially vulnerable population.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Preterm or term newborns admitted to the NICU who are at risk of encephalopathy due to conditions arising from the clinical context. For example, maternal infection (e.g. maternal infections such as fever during labour, urinary tract infection, etc.), maternal history of gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension or preeclampsia, history of delivery complications such as placental displacement or abnormal placentation.
Informed consent obtained from the parents or legal guardians of the newborns.
Availability of aEEG monitoring equipment and aCUP-E electrodes during the study period.

Exclusion Criteria:

Newborns with signs or symptoms of encephalopathy or any other evident neurological abnormality.
Newborns with critical or unstable medical conditions that interfere with monitoring, such as the need for continuous mechanical ventilation or significant haemodynamic instability.
Newborns receiving medication that may alter brain activity and interfere with aEEG results.
Newborns with cranial or skin malformations that prevent proper electrode placement.
Situations requiring urgent interventions that may interrupt monitoring or affect the quality of the data collected.
Lack of informed consent from the parents or legal guardians of the newborns to participate in the study.

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

Observational Models: COHORT
Time Perspectives: PROSPECTIVE

Number of groups / cohorts

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Cohort 1. Comparison between aCUP-E and liquid-gel electrodes The first cohort will include 10 neonates, in whom an intra-individual comparison between aCUP-E and conventional liquid-gel electrodes will be performed. The main objective of this cohort is to externally validate the results obtained in the previous study authorised by the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS), file 918/21/EC-R, the results of which were subsequently published by Fabregat-Sanjuan et al. (Frontiers in Pediatrics, 2024). Therefore, the results obtained in these ten new patients will be compared with the results previously obtained in the initial study, with the aim of verifying the reproducibility of aCUP-E performance at a second hospital and confirming that its performance does not depend on the participating centre or the staff responsible for electrode placement.
Cohort 2. Comparison between aCUP-E and needle electrodes The second cohort will include 15 neonates, all recruited at Hospital Universitari de Tarragona Joan XXIII (HUJ23). In this cohort, a simultaneous comparison between aCUP-E and the needle electrodes routinely used in clinical practice will be performed. This is the first specific clinical evaluation between the two recording systems. In a paired intra-individual design, a cohort of approximately 10 neonates would allow an initial assessment of comparative performance to detect large intra-individual differences.
Cohort 3. Monitoring exclusively using aCUP-E The third cohort will include 10 neonates monitored exclusively using aCUP-E electrodes. This cohort is expected to be distributed evenly between the two participating centres, including approximately 5 neonates at Hospital Universitari de Tarragona Joan XXIII (HUJ23) and 5 neonates at Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus (HUSJR), provided that the recruitment rate allows it. The main objective of this cohort is not to compare different types of electrodes, but to evaluate the technical feasibility, functional stability and safety of exclusive use of aCUP-E during complete monitoring sessions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
1. To compare the overall recording quality of aCUP-E with that of commercial electrodes. Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years	This analysis will be performed in preterm and term newborns at risk of encephalopathy, selecting segments with low impedance and absence of artefacts to determine recording quality. The outcome will be a % of time of the recording with good quality	Through study completion, an average of 2 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
2. To evaluate the clinical feasibility of aCUP-E Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years	This outcome will evaluate the clinical feasibility in relation with standard practice. The outcome will be the results of a survey from clinicians.	Through study completion, an average of 2 years
3. To evaluate the safety of aCUP-E Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years	This outcome will evaluate the safety of the electrode. The outcome will be the results of a survey from clinicians.	Through study completion, an average of 2 years
4. To evaluate the reliability of aCUP-E recordings Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years	This outcome will evaluate the differences between recordings. The outcome will be the % of differences between recordings.	Through study completion, an average of 2 years
5. To evaluate electrode survival and durability Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years	This outcome will evaluate the time to use in good conditions the electrode. The outcome will be the number of hours as a function of the % of survival.	Through study completion, an average of 2 years

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Institut Investigacio Sanitaria Pere Virgili

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)

October 15, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

October 14, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 14, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 13, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

November 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)