Trial reportThe Pediatric infectious disease journal2008
A randomized controlled trial of the impact of chlorhexidine skin cleansing on bacterial colonization of hospital-born infants in Nepal.
Trial report in The Pediatric infectious disease journal, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 17 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Newborn Antiseptic Washing and Neonatal Mortality-Nepal
Development and Evaluation of a ChlorHexidine Gluconate bAthing pRotocol for Healthcare Settings in Low- and Middle-income Countries
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.
- Umbilical cord antiseptics for preventing sepsis and death among newborns.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2026Pooled it
- Chlorhexidine skin or cord care for prevention of mortality and infections in neonates.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015Pooled it
- Umbilical cord antiseptics for preventing sepsis and death among newborns.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2013Pooled it
- Antiseptic Cleansing to Reduce Vertical Transmission of Pathogens to Neonates: The NeoVT-AMR Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2026Trial
- Waterless Hand Cleansing with Chlorhexidine during the Neonatal Period by Mothers and Other Household Members: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2020Trial
- Trial
- Effect of 4 % chlorhexidine on cord colonization among hospital and community births in India: a randomized controlled study.BMC pediatrics · 2016Trial
- Trial of improved practices approach to explore the acceptability and feasibility of different modes of chlorhexidine application for neonatal cord care in Pemba, Tanzania.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2015Trial
- Does skin cleansing with chlorhexidine affect skin condition, temperature and colonization in hospitalized preterm low birth weight infants?: a randomized clinical trial.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2009Trial
- Efficacy and safety of three antiseptics for neonatal skin disinfection: further evidence for chlorhexidine gluconate.Pediatric research · 2025Article
- Safety and efficacy of whole-body chlorhexidine gluconate cleansing with or without emollient in hospitalised neonates (NeoCHG): a multicentre, randomised, open-label, factorial pilot trial.EClinicalMedicine · 2024Article
- Indicators of skin barrier integrity among newborns massaged with mustard oil in rural Nepal.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2018Observational
- Comparison of the effects of povidone-iodine and chlorhexidine solutions on skin bacterial flora among hospitalized infants.Journal of education and health promotion · 2014Article
- Absorption and tolerability of aqueous chlorhexidine gluconate used for skin antisepsis prior to catheter insertion in preterm neonates.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2013Article
- Chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine: Which solution is more effective on skin colonization in neonates?Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research · 2013Article
- Safety of chlorhexidine gluconate used for skin antisepsis in the preterm infant.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2012Article
- Incidence and seasonality of hypothermia among newborns in southern Nepal.Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine · 2010Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundChlorhexidine skin cleansing might substantially reduce neonatal infection and mortality in developing countries. Few data exist on the impact of chlorhexidine cleansing on skin colonization of infants during the first day of life or on the absorption potential of chlorhexidine during newborn skin cleansing.
methodsHospital-born newborns in Kathmandu, Nepal were randomly allocated to full-body skin cleansing with 0.25%, 0.50%, or 1.00% chlorhexidine solution. Skin swabs were collected from the axilla, inguinal, and peri-umbilical areas before cleansing (baseline), and at 2 and 24 hours after treatment. Skin flora was quantified and organisms identified. In a subsample, heel prick blood was collected 24 hours after the cleansing and percutaneous absorption of chlorhexidine was assessed.
resultsAmong 286 enrolled newborns, no adverse effects on skin were reported and body temperature was minimally reduced (mean reduction, 0.33 degrees C). In all groups, positive skin culture rates were significantly reduced at 2 hours but generally not at 24 hours; greater reductions were observed with higher concentrations of chlorhexidine. Effect at 24 hours was highest in the 1.00% group (37% lower positive skin culture rate). For 15 of 75 infants with heel pricks, chlorhexidine was detected at trace concentrations (<8 ng/mL, n = 14; 25.8 ng/mL, n = 1).
conclusionsChlorhexidine skin cleansing seemed safe and reduced skin flora in newborns in a dose-dependent manner 2 hours after treatment. Greater residual effect at the highest concentration (1%) might provide broader benefit and may simplify combined maternal and neonatal regimens by matching the concentration used for vaginal cleansing during labor.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.