Skip to content

Enteral Resuscitation Nepal (Pilot Study)

Implementation of an Enteral Resuscitation Bundle for Moderate-sized Burn Injuries (20-40% Total Body Surface Area) to Prevent Shock, Coagulopathy, and Kidney and Lung Injury in Nepal

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04732624
Enrollment
30
Registered
2021-02-01
Start date
2021-09-30
Completion date
2022-06-04
Last updated
2023-10-11

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

Conditions

Burn Body Region Unspecified, Burn Shock

Keywords

Burns, Enteral Resuscitation, Oral Rehydration Solution, Burn Shock, Austere Conditions, Low- and middle-income country

Brief summary

Nepal and the South Asian sub-continent carry some of the highest rates of burn injury globally, with an associated high morbidity and mortality. Nepal currently has one major center equipped for burn care, in Kirtipur, Nepal and receives referred patients from around the country. At presentation, most patients with major burns have had minimal to no resuscitation on arrival, often hours to days after the burn injury was sustained. Timely fluid resuscitation, initiated as soon as possible after major burn injury, is the main tenet of acute burn care. Lack of adequate resuscitation in major burn injuries leads to kidney injury, progression of burn injury, sepsis, burn shock, and death. The current standard of care for major burn resuscitation is intravenous fluid resuscitation. In Nepal, however, adequately trained and equipped hospitals for treatment of burn care are not available (for a variety of reasons). Additionally, there is not a systematic emergency medical transport system available for provision of medical care and resuscitation during transport. Enteral-based resuscitation with substances like the WHO Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) is recommended by burn experts and the professional burn societies when resources and access to intravenous fluid resuscitation are not available in resource-constrained settings such as rural areas, low- and middle-income countries, and military battlefield scenarios. Studies have previously demonstrated the efficacy and safety of enteral-based resuscitation in controlled, high-resource settings, however there have not been real-world effectiveness trials in austere settings. Therefore, the investigators seek to ultimately address the problem of pre-hospital and pre-burn center admission resuscitation by studying the feasibility and effectiveness of enteral resuscitation with Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) in preventing burn shock. This study examines enteral (oral)-based resuscitation with ORS and IV Fluids versus only IV Fluids for the treatment of major burn injuries. The intervention portion of the study will entail randomization of patients presenting with acute burn injuries of 20-40% total body surface area (TBSA) to an enteral-based resuscitation versus the standard of care IV fluid resuscitation. The intervention will continue through the 24-72 hours of the acute resuscitation period. This is a feasibility study, primarily to develop and establish the research infrastructure and practices at the study site for future pilot study and eventually randomized-controlled trial research on this intervention. The primary outcomes will be measures of feasibility such as the adherence rate to the resuscitation protocols. Further, there will be a qualitative component to the study with focus group interviews of the bedside healthcare providers (doctors and nurses) who are caring for the enrolled patients, in order to understand the challenges and facilitators of enteral resuscitation. Qualitative analysis will be done to understand the major themes of challenges and facilitators to enteral resuscitation.

Interventions

Feasibility study of Enteral-based resuscitation with Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) vs standard-of-care Intravenous Fluid resuscitation for moderate-sized burn injuries in Nepal

Standard-of-care Intravenous Fluid resuscitation

Sponsors

Fogarty International Center of the National Institute of Health
CollaboratorNIH
University of Washington
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Feasibility study of randomized trial of enteral-based resuscitation (intervention arm) vs. IV fluid resuscitation (standard-of-care arm) for moderate sized burn injuries.

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* All genders * Adults aged ≥18 years who present with moderate-sized burn injuries \[20 - 40% total body surface areas (TBSA)\] to the Nepal Cleft and Burn Center within 24 hours of injury.

Exclusion criteria

* Patients with electrical burns, chemical burns, inhalation injury. * Patients in overt shock (defined as serum lactate \>2.5, or hypotension and altered mental status). * Pregnant patients, psychiatrically unstable patients will be excluded. * Patients with oropharyngeal defects and/or previously known diagnoses leading to high risk of aspiration, and/or precluding safe nasal-enteric access will be excluded. * Patients will history of chronic nausea and/or vomiting, including those with a diagnosis of gastroparesis due to diabetes mellitus will be excluded. * Patients with a Baux score of over 100 (age + TBSA), patients with declared palliative intent on admission, and patients for whom clinicians have high level of clinical concern based on clinical judgement will also be excluded.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
24 Hour Average Urine Output (UOP)24 hoursCalculated by totaling all of the recorded urine output (adding up the columns labelled HR 1-2 UO, HR 3-4 UO, etc. until HR 23-24), then dividing by their weight in Kg (column labelled Admission weight) and dividing by 24 hours. The units of this measurement will be mL/kg/hr.
24-hour Resuscitation Volume24 hoursCalculated by totaling the total resuscitative fluids administered in first 24 hours of resuscitation, divided by admission weight and % TBSA of burn injury. (cc/kg/% TBSA of burn injury)
Hours From Injury to ResuscitationPoint measurement (Once at the start of resuscitation)Hours calculated from point of injury to starting of resuscitation.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Participants Death Within 72 Hours of Resuscitation72 hoursSecondary resuscitation outcome measured daily within study period i.e. 72 hours of resuscitation as participant death related or associated with the study. Monitored by data safety monitoring board and if proven to be associated with the study considered serious adverse event.
Number of Participants With GI Discomfort24 hoursAny check for nausea, vomiting, distention, diarrhea
Discharge OutcomeMeasured over complete course of hospitalization until discharge or death, assessed every 24 hours after enrollment in the study. Maximum timeframe 6 months.Outcome of hospital stay
Number of Participants Crossover to IV Due to GI Intolerance24hoursNumber of participants crossover to standard of care (IV resuscitation) due to GI intolerance like nausea, vomitting
Number of Participants With Acute Kidney Injury72 hoursMeasured with any signs of Acute Kidney injury during first 72 hours of resuscitation according to KDIGO definition i.e., increase in serum creatinine by 0.3mg/dL or more within 48 hours or increase in serum creatinine to 1.5 times baseline or more within the last 7 days or urine output less than 0.5 mL/kg/h for 6 hours. AKI on admission was defined as a serum creatinine greater than 1.5 mg/dL with less than 0.5 mL/kg/h of urine output for the first hour. Urine output was measured every 2 hours for the first 24 hours and serum creatinine was measured on admission then 8,16,24,48 and 72 hours from the commencement of the resuscitation.

Countries

Nepal

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Enteral-based Protocolized Resuscitation
Administration of Enteral-based Resuscitation using Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) either by mouth of via naso-enteric access for moderate sized burn injuries (20-40% TBSA) per resuscitation protocol for burn-injured patients. Resuscitation will be administered in the acute resuscitation phase of burn injury (24-72 hours post injury). Patients will receive supplemental Intravenous Fluid (IV Fluid) resuscitation using Lactated Ringer's solution as needed per protocol. Oral Rehydration Solution: Feasibility study of Enteral-based resuscitation with Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) vs standard-of-care Intravenous Fluid resuscitation for moderate-sized burn injuries in Nepal Lactated Ringer: Standard-of-care Intravenous Fluid resuscitation
15
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized Resuscitation
Administration of Intravenous Fluid using Lactated Ringer's solution per standard of care resuscitation protocol for patients with moderate sized burn injuries (20-40% TBSA). Lactated Ringer: Standard-of-care Intravenous Fluid resuscitation
15
Total30

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicIntravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationTotalEnteral-based Protocolized Resuscitation
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
3 Participants7 Participants4 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
12 Participants23 Participants11 Participants
Age, Continuous50 years49 years48 years
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected0 Participants
Region of Enrollment
Nepal
15 participants30 participants15 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
11 Participants22 Participants11 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
4 Participants8 Participants4 Participants
Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) with Burn Injury30 percentage of burned surface area30 percentage of burned surface area25 percentage of burned surface area

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
6 / 154 / 15
other
Total, other adverse events
8 / 155 / 15
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 150 / 15

Outcome results

Primary

24 Hour Average Urine Output (UOP)

Calculated by totaling all of the recorded urine output (adding up the columns labelled HR 1-2 UO, HR 3-4 UO, etc. until HR 23-24), then dividing by their weight in Kg (column labelled Admission weight) and dividing by 24 hours. The units of this measurement will be mL/kg/hr.

Time frame: 24 hours

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Enteral-based Protocolized Resuscitation24 Hour Average Urine Output (UOP)0.7 ml/kg/hr
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized Resuscitation24 Hour Average Urine Output (UOP)1 ml/kg/hr
Primary

24-hour Resuscitation Volume

Calculated by totaling the total resuscitative fluids administered in first 24 hours of resuscitation, divided by admission weight and % TBSA of burn injury. (cc/kg/% TBSA of burn injury)

Time frame: 24 hours

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Enteral-based Protocolized Resuscitation24-hour Resuscitation Volume6.7 ml/kg/% of TBSA burned
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized Resuscitation24-hour Resuscitation Volume4.1 ml/kg/% of TBSA burned
Primary

Hours From Injury to Resuscitation

Hours calculated from point of injury to starting of resuscitation.

Time frame: Point measurement (Once at the start of resuscitation)

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Enteral-based Protocolized ResuscitationHours From Injury to Resuscitation8.5 hours
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationHours From Injury to Resuscitation13.5 hours
Secondary

Discharge Outcome

Outcome of hospital stay

Time frame: Measured over complete course of hospitalization until discharge or death, assessed every 24 hours after enrollment in the study. Maximum timeframe 6 months.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Enteral-based Protocolized ResuscitationDischarge OutcomeDischarged home6 Participants
Enteral-based Protocolized ResuscitationDischarge OutcomeLeft against medical advice3 Participants
Enteral-based Protocolized ResuscitationDischarge OutcomeDeath6 Participants
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationDischarge OutcomeDischarged home5 Participants
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationDischarge OutcomeLeft against medical advice6 Participants
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationDischarge OutcomeDeath4 Participants
Secondary

Number of Participants Crossover to IV Due to GI Intolerance

Number of participants crossover to standard of care (IV resuscitation) due to GI intolerance like nausea, vomitting

Time frame: 24hours

Population: Not applicable to IV resuscitation arm as already on the standard of care arm

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Enteral-based Protocolized ResuscitationNumber of Participants Crossover to IV Due to GI Intolerance9 Participants
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationNumber of Participants Crossover to IV Due to GI Intolerance0 Participants
Secondary

Number of Participants With Acute Kidney Injury

Measured with any signs of Acute Kidney injury during first 72 hours of resuscitation according to KDIGO definition i.e., increase in serum creatinine by 0.3mg/dL or more within 48 hours or increase in serum creatinine to 1.5 times baseline or more within the last 7 days or urine output less than 0.5 mL/kg/h for 6 hours. AKI on admission was defined as a serum creatinine greater than 1.5 mg/dL with less than 0.5 mL/kg/h of urine output for the first hour. Urine output was measured every 2 hours for the first 24 hours and serum creatinine was measured on admission then 8,16,24,48 and 72 hours from the commencement of the resuscitation.

Time frame: 72 hours

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Enteral-based Protocolized ResuscitationNumber of Participants With Acute Kidney InjuryOn Admission4 Participants
Enteral-based Protocolized ResuscitationNumber of Participants With Acute Kidney InjuryAt 72 hours4 Participants
Enteral-based Protocolized ResuscitationNumber of Participants With Acute Kidney InjuryRenal Failure within 72 hours1 Participants
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationNumber of Participants With Acute Kidney InjuryOn Admission2 Participants
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationNumber of Participants With Acute Kidney InjuryAt 72 hours0 Participants
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationNumber of Participants With Acute Kidney InjuryRenal Failure within 72 hours0 Participants
Secondary

Number of Participants With GI Discomfort

Any check for nausea, vomiting, distention, diarrhea

Time frame: 24 hours

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Enteral-based Protocolized ResuscitationNumber of Participants With GI Discomfort8 Participants
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationNumber of Participants With GI Discomfort5 Participants
Secondary

Participants Death Within 72 Hours of Resuscitation

Secondary resuscitation outcome measured daily within study period i.e. 72 hours of resuscitation as participant death related or associated with the study. Monitored by data safety monitoring board and if proven to be associated with the study considered serious adverse event.

Time frame: 72 hours

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Enteral-based Protocolized ResuscitationParticipants Death Within 72 Hours of Resuscitation0 Participants
Intravenous Fluid Protocolized ResuscitationParticipants Death Within 72 Hours of Resuscitation0 Participants

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