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Brachial-radial Pressure Gradient Phenomenon in Critically Ill Patients Treated With Vasoactive Agents

Brachial-radial Pressure Gradient Phenomenon in Critically Ill Patients Treated With Vasoactive Agents: an Observational Study

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07061457
Enrollment
300
Registered
2025-07-11
Start date
2025-04-14
Completion date
2025-08-31
Last updated
2025-11-20

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

Conditions

Blood Pressure, Circulatory Failure, Shock, Vasopressor Agents

Keywords

brachial-to-radial gradient, vasoactive agents, vasopressor, critically ill

Brief summary

The goal of this observational study is to observe brachial-to-radial pressure gradient in critically-ill patients receiving vasoactive agents. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. What is the frequency of brachial-to-radial gradient in critically-ill patients receiving vasoactive agents? 2. Is brachial-to-radial gradient greater in patients receiving high doses of vasoactive agents? 3. Is brachial-to-radial gradient associated with worse peripheral perfusion?

Detailed description

Pathological conditions, such as arterial stenosis, use of vasoconstrictive drugs, or massive vasodilatation, can cause significant differences in mean arterial pressure (MAP) in different parts of the arterial system. For example, in the case of stenosis between the brachial and radial arteries, the pressure behind the stenosis is lower than in front of it, which can lead to erroneous conclusions about the actual arterial pressure. The use of vasoconstrictive drugs in patients with circulatory insufficiency can result in reduced peripheral arterial pressure transmission, as evidenced by studies showing lower pressures in the radial artery compared to the femoral artery. Inadequate MAP assessments can lead to excessive use of vasoactive drugs and fluids, increasing the risk of complications such as cardiac ischemia, atrial fibrillation, and renal failure. One method to detect a significant gradient between central MAP (e.g., aorta or femoral artery) and peripheral MAP is non-invasive, oscillometric measurement of MAP on the brachial artery and comparing it to MAP obtained from invasive radial access (known as NIBR-APG). The brachial-radial MAP gradient is highly correlated with the femoral-radial gradient and may be indicative of significantly higher central pressure. The aim of this project is to evaluate the frequency of the brachial-radial gradient phenomenon in patients undergoing vasoconstrictive treatment in intensive care units.

Interventions

None listed

Sponsors

Jagiellonian University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* adult (\>18 years) patients admitted to the ICU * must be after initial resuscitation * invasive blood pressure monitoring in the radial artery * need for vasoactive drug therapy

Exclusion criteria

* pregnancy * pressure transduction across invasive blood pressure circuit deemed to be inadequate * mechanical circulatory support * inability to match non-invasive cuff size to the patient's arm * need for any hemodynamic intervention during performing study's measurements * patient's decline to have the measurements done

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Frequency of significant brachial-to-radial gradientAt baseline (after initial resuscitation). The gradient will be assessed only once, in a cross-sectional manner.Frequency of significant brachial-to-radial gradient \> 11 mmHg MAP

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Determinants of the brachial-to-radial gradientAt baseline (after initial resuscitation). The variables will be collected only once in a cross-sectional manner.Odds ratio (OR) of norepinephrine equivalent dose and OR of other potential risk factors (diabetes, age and body surface area) for significant brachial-radial gradient (\>11 mmHg MAP)
Brachial-to-radial gradient and capillary refill timeAt baseline (after initial resuscitation). Variables will be collected only once in a cross-sectional manner.Correlation between brachial-to-radial gradient and capillary refill time
Brachial-to-radial gradient and lactatesAt baseline (after initial resuscitation). Variables will be collected only once in a cross-sectional manner.Correlation between brachial-to-radial gradient and lactate concentration

Countries

Poland

Outcome results

None listed

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