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Emergency Echocardiography in Sepsis

Impact of Early Haemodynamic Assessment by Echocardiography on Organ Dysfunction of Patients Admitted in the Emergency Department for Sepsis or Septic Shock

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04580888
Acronym
GENESIS
Enrollment
312
Registered
2020-10-09
Start date
2021-07-23
Completion date
2025-04-15
Last updated
2025-11-21

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

Conditions

Sepsis, Echocardiography, Organ Dysfunction Syndrome Sepsis, Emergencies

Keywords

Sepsis, Echocardiography, Haemodynamic, Emergency Medicine

Brief summary

Acute circulatory failure that combines hypovolemia, vasoplegia and cardiac dysfunction plays a major role in the development of sepsis-related organ dysfunction. Pathophysiological mechanisms are multiple and complex. The objective of the GENESIS study is to determine the impact of early haemodynamic assessment using echocardiography in association with a therapeutic algorithm (intervention arm), when compared with standard of care based on the current Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) recommendations (control arm), on the development of organ dysfunctions in patients admitted to the Emergency Department for sepsis or septic shock.

Detailed description

Sepsis is currently defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction secondary to a dysregulated host response to infection (Sepsis-3). Septic shock is a subgroup of patients who also have sustained arterial hypotension requiring vasopressors and tissue dysoxia. The mortality varies from 10 to 40% depending on the severity. The latest bundles of the SSC request to perform within the first hour of sepsis identification a fluid loading of 30 mL/kg of crystalloids in the presence of hypotension, and to initiate a vasopressor support in case of persistent hypotension to maintain a mean arterial pressure ≥ 65 mmHg. However, early fluid resuscitation is not necessarily associated with an improvement of sepsis prognosis and may even be deleterious when leading to excessive positive fluid balance. Accordingly, the SSC recommends investigating a personalized approach to define for each patient the appropriate volume of fluids to be administered according to the initial mechanism of sepsis-induced cardiovascular failure. Echocardiography is currently recommended as a first-line modality to identify the origin of acute circulatory failure, sepsis remaining the leading cause. It has been shown to alter ongoing treatment based on the sole SSC recommendations in the intensive care unit. In contrast, the impact of hemodynamic assessment using echocardiography at the early stage of sepsis in patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) is unknown. In this randomized trial, patients will be either assessed hemodynamically using transthoracic echocardiography to guide early therapeutic management (intervention arm) or managed according to standards of care based on current SSC recommendations (control arm). Early echocardiography will be performed after 500 mL of fluid loading initiated upon identification of septic patients based on the qSOFA score (hemodynamic criterion required: systolic blood pressure ≤ 100 mmHg). This will allow identifying the hemodynamic profile at the origin of sepsis-induced circulatory failure and to monitor both the efficacy and tolerance of fluid resuscitation, or of any other therapeutic intervention (e.g., inotropic support) according to a predefined therapeutic algorithm. Patients allocated to the control arm will be managed conventionally according to current SSC recommendations, including a standardized fluid loading of 30 mL/kg. Organ dysfunctions will be assessed in the two study arms by the SOFA score 24 hours after randomization and patient will be followed up until hospital discharge to determine outcome.

Interventions

PROCEDUREearly transthoracic echocardiography

In the intervention arm, echocardiography will be performed immediately and potentially repeated to confirm the need for additional fluid resuscitation up to 30 mL/kg in the presence of persisting hypovolemia, or not (e.g., severe ventricular dysfunction). A therapeutic algorithm will allow standardized impact on ongoing management according to the hemodynamic profile identified by early echocardiography. After the completion of initial fluid resuscitation up to 30 mL/kg if required, a new echocardiographic assessment will be systematically performed by the same operator to stop or not fluid resuscitation, and to potentially initiate another treatment according to both the hemodynamic profile and clinical context.

In the control arm, patients will be treated according to standards of care based on current SSC recommendations, including a fluid resuscitation of 30 mL/kg.

Sponsors

University Hospital, Limoges
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patients admitted to the ED * Age ≥ 18 years and affiliation to Social Security * With sepsis (Sepsis-3 definition): Clinically suspected or documented acute infection AND a quick score Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) ≥ 2 points with: * Systolic blood pressure ≤ 100 mmHg (1 point) requiring fluid loading * AND encephalopathy (1 point) OR respiratory rate ≥ 22 cpm (1 point) AND a systolic blood pressure ≤ 100 mmHg after 500 mL of crystalloid vascular filling - Informed consent

Exclusion criteria

* Decision to limit care or moribund status * Pregnancy or breast feeding * Subject under juridical protection.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scorechange from Hour 0 at Day 1Crude variation of the SOFA score between inclusion and 24h following randomization.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Interruption of fluid resuscitationHour 3Number and proportion of patients in whom echocardiography performed in the ED (intervention arm) modified ongoing therapy based on SSC recommendations (standard of care) according to the hemodynamic profile. Interruption of fluid resuscitation before having administrated 30 mL/kg
Maintains of fluid resuscitationHour 3Number and proportion of patients in whom echocardiography performed in the ED (intervention arm) modified ongoing therapy based on SSC recommendations (standard of care) according to the hemodynamic profile. Fluid resuscitation maintained beyond 30 mL/kg
Initiation of inotropesHour 3Number and proportion of patients in whom echocardiography performed in the ED (intervention arm) modified ongoing therapy based on SSC recommendations (standard of care) according to the hemodynamic profile. Initiation of inotropes
Initiation of vasopressor supportHour 3Number and proportion of patients in whom echocardiography performed in the ED (intervention arm) modified ongoing therapy based on SSC recommendations (standard of care) according to the hemodynamic profile. Initiation of vasopressor support
Therapeutic modificationHour 3Number and proportion of patients in whom echocardiography performed in the ED (intervention arm) modified ongoing therapy based on SSC recommendations (standard of care) according to the hemodynamic profile. Therapeutic modification directly related to the echocardiographic examination
hemorrhagic strokethrough study completion, an average of 1 monthNumber of hemorrhagic stroke since potentially related to the initiation of positive inotropes
Persisting hypovolemiaHour 0Number and proportion of patients presenting at the time of early hemodynamic assessment using echocardiography (intervention arm)
Left ventricular failureHour 0Number and proportion of patients presenting at the time of early hemodynamic assessment using echocardiography (intervention arm)
Vasoplegia with left ventricular hyperkinesiaHour 0Number and proportion of patients presenting at the time of early hemodynamic assessment using echocardiography (intervention arm)
septic shockHour 24Number and proportion of patients who developed septic shock 24 h after inclusion
Stabilized hemodynamic statusHour 0Number and proportion of patients presenting at the time of early hemodynamic assessment using echocardiography (intervention arm). Stabilized hemodynamic status (none of above-mentioned abnormalities) due to adequate management of acute circulatory failure (avoid any deleterious therapeutic change).
Hydrostatic pulmonary edemathrough study completion, an average of 1 monthNumber of Hydrostatic pulmonary edema (cardiogenic or volume overload) since potentially related to excessive fluid loading
Supraventricular arrhythmiasthrough study completion, an average of 1 monthNumber of Supraventricular arrhythmias since potentially related to the initiation of positive inotropes
Lactate clearanceHour 0 to Hour 6Lactate clearance (lactate 6h after randomization compared to lactate at baseline)
ventricular arrhythmiasthrough study completion, an average of 1 monthNumber of ventricular arrhythmias since potentially related to the initiation of positive inotropes
acute coronary syndrome,through study completion, an average of 1 monthNumber of acute coronary syndrome since potentially related to the initiation of positive inotropes
ischemic strokethrough study completion, an average of 1 monthNumber of ischemic stroke since potentially related to the initiation of positive inotropes
Patient coursethrough study completion, an average of 1 monthPatient course after emergency department discharge: hospitalization in regular ward (medicine / surgery), stepdown unit or intensive care unit.
MortalityDay 7 and through study completion, an average of 1 monthMortality (all-cause and sepsis-related) at Day 7 and at hospital discharge
Right ventricular failureHour 0Number and proportion of patients presenting at the time of early hemodynamic assessment using echocardiography (intervention arm)

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026