ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT06845332PrOTeCt-NEOUpdated Sep 19, 2025

Promoting Optimal Treatment Choices in Neonates With Suspected Early-Onset Sepsis

An observational study in Early-onset Sepsis, sponsored by Franciscus Gasthuis. Recruiting at 11 sites in Netherlands. Open to participants aged Up to 3 Days. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-09-19.

Sponsored by Franciscus Gasthuis · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Jun 2026, 5 months ago, but the record still lists the study as recruiting.
  • Started Jan 2024; still recruiting 2 years 10 months later.
Study type
Observational
Model
Other
Time perspective
Other
Enrollment
55,000
Ages
Up to 3 Days
Sex
All
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Study summary

In this study, three neonatal evidence-based antibiotic stewardship strategies will be implemented in Dutch hospitals. These include the early-onset sepsis (EOS) calculator, procalcitonin (PCT)-guided therapy, and IV-to-oral switch therapy. These strategies have been proven to be effective and safe and are already applied in several Dutch hospitals. However, this is not the case for all hospitals, leading to significant variations in clinical practice. To facilitate the translation of evidence into practice, active implementation will take place.

The primary research design is a prospective implementation study, using a multicenter, non-randomized pre-post design. The aim is to assess the impact of implementing a bundle of antibiotic stewardship interventions (including the EOS calculator, PCT-guided therapy and iv-to-oral switch therapy) in Dutch hospitals, using a multicomponent implementation strategy, on both clinical and implementation outcomes, with a particular focus on evaluating the employed implementation strategies.

A combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods will be used to assess outcomes. Quantitative clinical data from neonates in the pre- and post-implementation periods will be retrospectively collected by the Business Intelligence units of participating hospitals and anonymized before being provided to the central research team. Qualitative data will be gathered through focus groups, interviews, and surveys.

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Conditions studied

  • Early-onset Sepsis

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Keywords

  • early-onset sepsis
  • neonatal sepsis
  • early-onset sepsis calculator
  • PCT-guided therapy
  • iv-to-oral switch therapy
  • implementation
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In context

Neonatal Sepsis

192 studies on the registry are indexed under Neonatal Sepsis; 41 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 55,000 is above the median of 200 across 85 observational studies indexed under Neonatal Sepsis.

Browse Neonatal Sepsis studies →

Lead sponsor

Franciscus Gasthuis is the lead sponsor of 18 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
Up to 3 Days
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

The target population neonates with a minimum postmenstrual age of 34 weeks, between 0-3 days old

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Neonates born at 34 weeks of gestation or later
  • 0-3 days old

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • stillborn neonates
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Study design

Observational model
Other
Time perspective
Other
Enrollment
55,000 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Pre-implementation cohort
  • Post-implementation cohort
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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Days on therapy

    Time frame: 12 months pre-implementation and 12 months post-implementation

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Study locations

11 of 11 sites recruiting
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References and documents

Publications

  • Achten NB, Klingenberg C, Benitz WE, Stocker M, Schlapbach LJ, Giannoni E, Bokelaar R, Driessen GJA, Brodin P, Uthaya S, van Rossum AMC, Plotz FB. Association of Use of the Neonatal Early-Onset Sepsis Calculator With Reduction in Antibiotic Therapy and Safety: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2019 Nov 1;173(11):1032-1040. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.2825. PubMed 31479103 ↗
  • Keij FM, Kornelisse RF, Hartwig NG, van der Sluijs-Bens J, van Beek RHT, van Driel A, van Rooij LGM, van Dalen-Vink I, Driessen GJA, Kenter S, von Lindern JS, Eijkemans M, Stam-Stigter GM, Qi H, van den Berg MM, Baartmans MGA, van der Meer-Kappelle LH, Meijssen CB, Norbruis OF, Heidema J, van Rossem MC, den Butter PCP, Allegaert K, Reiss IKM, Tramper-Stranders GA. Efficacy and safety of switching from intravenous to oral antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulanic acid) versus a full course of intravenous antibiotics in neonates with probable bacterial infection (RAIN): a multicentre, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2022 Nov;6(11):799-809. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(22)00245-0. Epub 2022 Sep 9. PubMed 36088952 ↗
  • Stocker M, van Herk W, El Helou S, Dutta S, Fontana MS, Schuerman FABA, van den Tooren-de Groot RK, Wieringa JW, Janota J, van der Meer-Kappelle LH, Moonen R, Sie SD, de Vries E, Donker AE, Zimmerman U, Schlapbach LJ, de Mol AC, Hoffman-Haringsma A, Roy M, Tomaske M, Kornelisse RF, van Gijsel J, Visser EG, Willemsen SP, van Rossum AMC; NeoPInS Study Group. Procalcitonin-guided decision making for duration of antibiotic therapy in neonates with suspected early-onset sepsis: a multicentre, randomised controlled trial (NeoPIns). Lancet. 2017 Aug 26;390(10097):871-881. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31444-7. Epub 2017 Jul 12. PubMed 28711318 ↗
  • van Veen LEJ, Tramper-Stranders GA, Achten NB, Plotz FB, van Rossum AMC, Ista E. Implementation strategy for an antibiotic stewardship bundle to promote optimal treatment choices in neonates with suspected early-onset sepsis (Protect-Neo): a study protocol for a multicentre, prospective interrupted time series and before-after study. BMJ Open. 2025 Nov 4;15(11):e103368. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-103368. PubMed 41193205 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 19, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06845332
Lead sponsor
Franciscus Gasthuis
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Feb 25, 2025
Start date
Jan 1, 2024
Primary completion
Jun 1, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Jun 1, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 19, 2025

Study contacts

Liesanne E. J. Van Veen, MD
Contact
+31628138839

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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