Clinical Research Directory

Intensive Multimodal Neurorehabilitation Targeting Neuroplasticity in Pediatric Neurodevelopmental and Chromosomal Disorders

This observational study evaluates functional and developmental outcomes in pediatric participants undergoing a two week intensive multimodal neurorehabilitation program. The program is designed for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, including but not limited to cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and chromosomal or genetic abnormalities. Participants receive individualized therapy sessions for approximately 2.5 hours per day over a two week period. The intervention is not standardized but is tailored to each child's specific needs and may include components such as sensory integration, motor planning, reflex integration, oculomotor training, executive functioning activities, communication support, and other brain based therapeutic approaches. The purpose of this study is to observe changes in functional abilities, including attention, motor coordination, emotional regulation, communication, and activities of daily living. Outcomes are assessed using clinician observation and parent reported changes before and after the intensive program, with limited follow-up when available. This study does not assign participants to a specific treatment as part of a research protocol. Instead, it collects real world data from children already participating in a clinical therapy program to better understand potential benefits of intensive, individualized neurorehabilitation approaches.

The HIEnome Study: Genome Sequencing for Perinatal HIE

Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is a rare severe condition in which neonates present with encephalopathy and a clinical history suggestive of prenatal or perinatal hypoxic-ischemic injury. Emerging evidence suggests that genetic conditions are frequently identified in cases of perinatal HIE; however, it is unclear which neonates with this diagnosis warrant genetic testing. This study will offer clinical genome sequencing to neonates with HIE who are undergoing total body cooling (therapeutic hypothermia) and their parents.

Immunoinflammatory Response in Post Cardiac Arrest Syndrome (PCAS)

This is a prospective, observational study to investigate molecular mechanisms mediating the systemic inflammatory process, and changes to metabolism, and their impact on brain injury, survival, and functional outcomes after cardiac arrest. Investigators have shown that cardiac arrest induces changes in the numbers and properties of circulating immune cells, shifting the balance towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype and there is increased interest in the inflammatory pathways and the signaling mechanisms through which they are modulated. Participants will undergo blood sampling during 7 days following cardiac arrest, and analyses performed. Patient characteristics, clinical circumstances, and outcomes will be recorded and their associations with these inflammatory pathways characterized.

Severity of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy and Neurological Pupil Index in Neonates

The goal of this observational study is to learn if the reactivity of a newborn's eye to light (measured as an index, using a new device -pupillometer) reflect the health of their brain recovering from disruption of blood/oxygen supply during birth (Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy-HIE). The main questions it aims to answer are: * With a decreasing reactivity index, does the chance of an abnormal electrical function of brain (noted by electroencephalography (EEG)) increase? * With a decreasing reactivity index, do the odds of an indicator of severe impact on brain health (abnormal brain imaging, seizures, feeding difficulty) increase? Participants will undergo eye examination using the pupillometer instead of the regular penlight, as part of their routine neurological examination. This will not change the way in which the newborn is being treated and managed medically.

Caffeine for Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

CHIME is a randomized, parallel-arm, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial focused on infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). The trial will recruit neonates who are diagnosed with HIE within six hours after birth based on physiologic criteria (acidosis noted on an umbilical cord or early \[\<1 hour\] postnatal blood sample) and neurologic criteria (modified Sarnat exam consistent with encephalopathy). Following informed consent, and by six hours after birth, neonates with HIE will be randomized to one of two treatment arms and subsequently receive one 20 mg/kg dose of oral caffeine followed by two additional 10 mg/kg doses at 24-hour intervals or placebo of the same regimen (three total doses). The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the incidence of all-cause mortality OR moderate to severe neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) at 18-22 months between neonates with HIE who are randomized to oral caffeine or placebo. Our hypothesis is that neonates with HIE who receive oral caffeine will have 10% lower incidence of all-cause mortality or moderate to severe NDI at 18-22 months compared to placebo.

Neonates With Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

Assessment of the potential neuroprotective effect of magnesium sulphate and caffeine in treating asphyxiated newborns and improvement of the neurological outcome of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy in Assiut university hospital of Children