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The Cooling And Surviving Septic Shock Study (CASS)

Randomized Trial to Determine Whether Mild Induced Hypothermia Can Reduce Mortality in Adult Patients With Septic Shock

Status
Terminated
Phases
Phase 2Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01455116
Acronym
CASS
Enrollment
433
Registered
2011-10-19
Start date
2011-11-30
Completion date
2016-11-30
Last updated
2016-11-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Septic Shock

Keywords

Sepsis, Multi organ dysfunction syndrome, Mild Induced Hypothermia

Brief summary

Septic shock is in critically ill patients is a condition associated with a high rate of organ failure and hereto attributable mortality \ 45-55% Hypothesis: Mild Induced Hypothermia reduces the mortality of critically ill patients with septic shock by reducing organ metabolism, counteracting on microcirculatory thrombosis, genetically downregulating tissue apoptosis and by reducing bacterial growth rate and toxin production.

Detailed description

Septic shock is an acute life-threatening condition, with great organ damage for every hour. The patients have a high risk of dying and therefore rapid treatment is of crucial importance for survival of the patients. Septic shock is mainly due to a collapse in the blood circulation (the capillary system) due to blockage by blood cells - a process initiated by substances from the cells of the immune system via activation of coagulation. The normal function of the smallest blood vessels is to transport oxygen, nutrients and drugs to organs and tissues, and lead waste products away. While the offer of oxygen and nutrients to the organs decreases, the consumption of oxygen and nutrients increases due to fever and immune reactions. When the capillary system collapses, the organs and tissues suffer, and various forms of cell death in the organs begins including programmed cell death (apoptosis). This leads to organ damage, for example brain damage or kidney damage and ultimately to multiple organ dysfunction which is the direct cause of the patient dies. Mild induced hypothermia (cooling to 32 0C-34 0C) affects at least 5 core areas in the pathophysiology of septic shock: 1) inhibition of inflammation 2) inhibition of apoptosis (programmed cell death), 3) antithrombotic, 4) decreases the metabolism and 5) inhibits bacterial growth and production of toxins.

Interventions

Induction of hypothermia to a target temperature of 32 - 34 degrees Celsius (90 - 93 degrees Fahrenheit

Sponsors

TRYG Foundation
CollaboratorOTHER
Lundbeck Foundation
CollaboratorOTHER
Danish Procalcitonin Study Group
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
50 Years to 120 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Aged \> 50 years of age. 2. Severe sepsis /septic shock = SIRS + suspected infection+hypotension Mean Arterial Blood Pressure (MAP) \<70 mmHg, 3. Admitted to the participating intensive care units (ICU) 4. Indication for intubation 5. Possibility of inclusion within 6 hours after septic shock/severe sepsis is diagnosed in the ICU. Patients admitted with septic shock/severe sepsis should be included within 6 hours after admission. If a patient is not included within this period, that patient cannot be included within the same hospitalization. 6. The patient must have an expected stay in the ICU of more than 24 hours. Anticipated death within 24 hours after admission to the ICU does not exclude participation; however no decision of reduction of treatment level must have been taken. During this time period, probability that the patient is discharged to a floor department must not be likely (\<10% probability).

Exclusion criteria

1. Patients are pregnant or breast feeding 2. The findings of the initial screening, shows that the patient has a bleeding disorder and/or the patient has an uncontrollable bleeding and /or surgery within the last 24 hours 3. Persons who are detained under the Act on the use of coercion in psychiatry

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Mortality30 daysAll cause

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Respiratory30 daysUse of Mechanical Ventilation on day 4 No. of days where Mechanical Ventilation is used Delta PaO2/FiO2 ratio until day 4 +Derivatives of the above
Circulatory breakdown/Septic ShockMeasure on day 4Delta MAP days 1-4 Inotropic Score day 1-4 Achieved discontinuation of inotropics on day 4
Cerebral dysfunctionDay 1-4Delta RASS 1-4 CAM-ICU: Days with positive CAM-ICU within 72 h after awakening MiniMentalState Examination (MMSE)
Renal failure30 daysRIFLE criteria (R+I+F) eGFR decrease (ml/min/1.73 m2) eGFR decrease to \<60 ml/min/1,73) \+ derivatives of the above
Coagulatory FailureUntil Day 4/10Delta Platelets day 1-4 Delta INR days 1-4 (and factor 2/7/10) Delta APTT (days 1-4) Total consumption of SAG-M on days 1-10 Occurrence of Severe bleeding (surgery demanding or CT-verified, fresh upper or lower G-I bleeding) Thromboelastography
Duration of clinical infectionDays 1-4 + 1-30Delta C-reactive protein day 1-4 Achieved decrease in CRP \>30 % from day 1-4 PCT decrease (Quantitative) day 1-10
Number of days Free of Organ failure30 daysNumber of days Free of Organ failure until day 30: Need for Mechanical ventilation, need for inotropic, RIFLE criteria positive, positive CAM-ICU days.
Hepatic FailureDays 1-4Delta Bilirubin 1-4 Fraction of subjects with Bilirubin level \>21 micromoles/L on day 4

Countries

Denmark, Netherlands, United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 20, 2026