Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42498463›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Efficacy of cycled environmental light and noise during initial hospitalisation for improved cognitive outcomes at 2 years in infants born extremely or very preterm: study protocol for the prospective, randomised, open, blinded endpoint controlled multicentre CIRCA DIEM trial.

J Jane Pillow, Rod W Hunt, Julie A Marsh, Peter J Anderson, Peter J Mark, Alicia J Spittle, Andrew J O Whitehouse, Nadia Badawi, CIRCA DIEM Study

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

J Jane PillowSchool of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia jane.pillow@uwa.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6500-0138
Rod W HuntPaediatrics, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2446-1739
Julie A MarshThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Peter J AndersonDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
Peter J MarkThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Alicia J SpittlePhysiotherapy, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6535-661X
Andrew J O WhitehouseThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Nadia BadawiCerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
CIRCA DIEM Study

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionVery preterm infants (<32 weeks gestation) have an undeveloped primary endogenous circadian rhythm and are deprived abruptly of vital maternal circadian inputs after delivery. Postnatal care in neonatal intensive care units is characterised by constant levels of lighting and noise. Stress arising from disrupted cues for circadian rhythmicity likely disrupts development of coordinated circadian rhythms critical for neurogenesis, organ growth and development. We hypothesise that cycled environmental light and noise commenced soon after birth and continued until discharge home will improve cognitive outcomes compared with infants whose postnatal care comprises constant light (bright or dim) and constant noise. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Australasian multicentre, two-arm, parallel-group, prospective, randomised, open, blinded-endpoint superiority trial in 868 infants born less than 32 weeks' gestation. Infants are randomised to cycled environmental light and noise or routine care in a non-cycled hospital environment from soon after birth until discharge home. The intervention comprises wearing eye-masks and ear plugs from 20:00 to 6:00, followed by removal of these devices and exposure to normal environmental noise and 300-600 lux light from 6:00 to 20:00. The primary outcome is composite cognitive score on Bayley-4 developmental assessment at 2 years corrected postnatal age. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The trial is approved by the Child and Adolescent Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee under the National Mutual Acceptance Scheme in Australia. Infants are randomised to intervention or control group after informed parental consent is obtained. Results of the CIRCA DIEM Study will be disseminated widely via presentations at local, national and international conferences, publication in international peer-reviewed journals and inclusion on the study website. Information about trial findings will also be communicated directly to the parents/guardians of trial participants through the regular study newsletter. The trial investigators will seek opportunities to communicate study results to the lay public through media and social media avenues. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ANZCTRN12618000371291.

Indexed as

CognitionInfant, Extremely PrematureLightLightingNoiseAustraliaChild DevelopmentChild, PreschoolCircadian RhythmEquivalence Trials as TopicFemaleHospitalizationHumansInfantInfant, NewbornIntensive Care Units, NeonatalClinical ProtocolsCognitionInfantIntensive Care Units, NeonatalNEONATOLOGY

Identifiers

PMID42498463
PMCPMC13404858

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Registered trials

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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.