Neonatal delirium: fact or fiction? A study protocol of a prospective, observational study at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Introduction Delirium is a neuropsychiatric disorder that remains under-recognised and poorly understood in the paediatric population, especially among the very young. In premature neonates, delirium is not yet researched, even though prematurity may also be implicated as a risk factor since younger...

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Main Authors: Richel Lousberg, Kim AM Tijssen, Husam KZ Salamah, Kelly MP Hauman, Danilo AWD Gavilanes-Jimenez, Jan NM Schieveld, Jacqueline JMH Strik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-04-01
Series:BMJ Paediatrics Open
Online Access:https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/9/1/e002704.full
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author Richel Lousberg
Kim AM Tijssen
Husam KZ Salamah
Kelly MP Hauman
Danilo AWD Gavilanes-Jimenez
Jan NM Schieveld
Jacqueline JMH Strik
author_facet Richel Lousberg
Kim AM Tijssen
Husam KZ Salamah
Kelly MP Hauman
Danilo AWD Gavilanes-Jimenez
Jan NM Schieveld
Jacqueline JMH Strik
author_sort Richel Lousberg
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Delirium is a neuropsychiatric disorder that remains under-recognised and poorly understood in the paediatric population, especially among the very young. In premature neonates, delirium is not yet researched, even though prematurity may also be implicated as a risk factor since younger age, developmental delay and a vulnerable brain are risk factors. However, given the developmental stage of these patients, the assessment of two important Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V (DSM-V) criteria for diagnosing delirium, disturbance in consciousness/attention and cognition, is complicated and/or even impossible. Therefore, the main aim of the study is to screen for delirium in premature infants at the neonatal intensive care unit.Methods and analysis An exploratory observational prospective cohort study will be conducted at the Maastricht University Medical Centre+ during a period of 12 months to explore the epidemiology (patient/clinical characteristics and prevalence) of delirium. All admitted infants are screened for agitation and apathy as the main delirium markers, using the neonatal pain agitation and sedation scale and the Cornell Assessment of Paediatric Delirium.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol and informed consent procedure were submitted to the Medical Ethics Committee (METC) (METC 2023–3709). The METC waived the need for approval. However, although the METC waived the need for approval, informed consent will be collected for consent for publication of the collected data.
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spelling doaj-art-2ecbd82ea8174229a16aa9b0b44dbef92025-08-20T02:55:30ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Paediatrics Open2399-97722025-04-019110.1136/bmjpo-2024-002704Neonatal delirium: fact or fiction? A study protocol of a prospective, observational study at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)Richel Lousberg0Kim AM Tijssen1Husam KZ Salamah2Kelly MP Hauman3Danilo AWD Gavilanes-Jimenez4Jan NM Schieveld5Jacqueline JMH Strik6Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The NetherlandsSchool for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Paediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The NetherlandsSchool for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The NetherlandsIntroduction Delirium is a neuropsychiatric disorder that remains under-recognised and poorly understood in the paediatric population, especially among the very young. In premature neonates, delirium is not yet researched, even though prematurity may also be implicated as a risk factor since younger age, developmental delay and a vulnerable brain are risk factors. However, given the developmental stage of these patients, the assessment of two important Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V (DSM-V) criteria for diagnosing delirium, disturbance in consciousness/attention and cognition, is complicated and/or even impossible. Therefore, the main aim of the study is to screen for delirium in premature infants at the neonatal intensive care unit.Methods and analysis An exploratory observational prospective cohort study will be conducted at the Maastricht University Medical Centre+ during a period of 12 months to explore the epidemiology (patient/clinical characteristics and prevalence) of delirium. All admitted infants are screened for agitation and apathy as the main delirium markers, using the neonatal pain agitation and sedation scale and the Cornell Assessment of Paediatric Delirium.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol and informed consent procedure were submitted to the Medical Ethics Committee (METC) (METC 2023–3709). The METC waived the need for approval. However, although the METC waived the need for approval, informed consent will be collected for consent for publication of the collected data.https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/9/1/e002704.full
spellingShingle Richel Lousberg
Kim AM Tijssen
Husam KZ Salamah
Kelly MP Hauman
Danilo AWD Gavilanes-Jimenez
Jan NM Schieveld
Jacqueline JMH Strik
Neonatal delirium: fact or fiction? A study protocol of a prospective, observational study at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
BMJ Paediatrics Open
title Neonatal delirium: fact or fiction? A study protocol of a prospective, observational study at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
title_full Neonatal delirium: fact or fiction? A study protocol of a prospective, observational study at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
title_fullStr Neonatal delirium: fact or fiction? A study protocol of a prospective, observational study at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
title_full_unstemmed Neonatal delirium: fact or fiction? A study protocol of a prospective, observational study at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
title_short Neonatal delirium: fact or fiction? A study protocol of a prospective, observational study at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
title_sort neonatal delirium fact or fiction a study protocol of a prospective observational study at the neonatal intensive care unit nicu
url https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/9/1/e002704.full
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