Four-Part check may reveal hidden malnutrition in sickest kids
NCT ID NCT07830966
First seen Sep 21, 2026 · Last updated Sep 21, 2026
Summary
Researchers at Assiut University are studying how to identify malnutrition in critically ill children aged 1 month to 5 years admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit. The team uses a four-part ABCD approach that combines body measurements, blood markers, physical signs, and diet history within 48 hours of admission. They then track whether nutritional status relates to how long children need mechanical ventilation, how long they stay in the PICU, and whether they survive. The study aims to see if this practical assessment can flag children at higher risk.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If the ABCD approach proves reliable, hospitals could spot malnourished children sooner and tailor feeding plans during intensive care.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study at a single center, so it can show patterns but not prove that malnutrition causes worse outcomes. Findings may not apply to other hospitals or regions.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 103 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Critically ill children aged 1 month to 5 years admitted to PICU at Assiut University Children Hospital
- Ages
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1 month to 5 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age from 1 month to 5 years * Admitted to PICU with expected length of stay greater than 48 hours * Written informed consent from parents or legal guardians Exclusion Criteria: * Chronic renal or hepatic disease known to affect serum protein levels * Incomplete medical records or discharged or transferred before first laboratory sample could be obtained * Receiving nutritional support enteral or parenteral prior to PICU admission for condition unrelated to current critical illness
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
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