Active clinical trials for "Shock"

Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening event due to a dysregulated immune response to an host. Blood purification techniques may be considered as a therapeutic weapon to front sepsis and septic shock. Haemoadsorption is one of the known blood purification technique that is employed in this study, and it is based on the principle that whole blood, contacting the surface of proper designed sorbent, would be cleared of certain substrates. With haemoadsorption it is possible to de-circulate from bloodstream high molecular weight substances, such as cytokines.In this study Cytosorb® cartridge, based on haemoadsorption principle is applied on septic patients, suffering for acute kidney failure, along with continuous veno-venous haemodialysis (CVVH-D).Microcirculation has a crucial role in the natural history of sepsis. In this prospective observational non interventional study, 10 septic patients with an acute kidney failure that need CVVH are enrolled. The primary endpoint of the study is to verify an improvement in the density of microcirculatory vessels and in the quality of blood flow after exposure to Cytosorb®. These two parameters are well described synthetically by the Perfused Vessel Density (PVD). As secondary endpoints we also want to analyze the modification of microcirculation after haemoadsorption therapy: microvascular blood flow, described by the microvascular flow index (MFI) and peripheral tissue oxygen perfusion during Cytosorb® exposure using near infrared spectroscopy technique (NIRS)

In this study, the investigators aim to validate a non-invasive marker of fluid-responsiveness in children with acute circulatory failure based on standardized abdominal compression. This would allow physicians to identify which patient could benefit from a fluid expansion, thus avoiding a potentially useless or even dangerous fluid expansion, leading to fluid overload. To this end, the investigators will evaluate the diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) of stroke volume variation induced by standardized abdominal compression for the diagnosis of fluid responsiveness (based on the gold-standard test: significant increase in cardiac index after fluid expansion).

For the emergency physicians and critical care specialists, how to quickly recognize shock from diverse clinical features and immediately treat shock patients to prevent progression to irreversible organ dysfunction from initially reversible shock condition are important issues and challenges. In recent years, ultrasonography had been extensively used in clinical practice recently, and well-trained medical staffs can quickly and easily apply ultrasound to evaluate, examine, diagnose, and even treat the patients. The clinical application of point-of-care ultrasound can help the first-line physicians rapidly evaluate and diagnose the main symptoms and signs of the patients at bedside, and further initially stabilize and appropriately treat the patients subsequently. The aim of this program is to prospectively collection of the findings of point-of-care ultrasonography in shock patients at emergency room in NTUH. The clinical manifestations, and followed up the examinations, treatments, and prognosis will also be collected. The effect of bedside ultrasound on differential diagnosis and treatment of shock patients will be analyzed. The results of the current study can provide the base for further clinical trials and set up of shock team.

Effective chest compressions are essential to survival in an arrest patient receiving CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). A challenge in providing effective chest compressions is frequent interruption of compressions. A major cause of a recurrent interruption of chest compressions is pulse checks. Pulse checks are difficult to quickly and accurately perform in the AHA recommended time interval of under 10 seconds for reasons ranging from inexperience to body habitus. Unnecessarily long pulse checks often delay reinitiating chest compressions leading to a fall in perfusion pressure to the coronary arteries lowering the chances of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). To potentially solve the issues of evaluating the chest compression effectiveness and minimize the time interval of pulse checks, the authors have constructed a novel device that can be rapidly applied to an arresting patient and evaluate the current state of the circulatory system. The device is called the Rapid Pulse Confirmation (RPC) device. It is designed to applied over a major artery (radial, ulnar, brachial, carotid, and femoral) and detect Doppler shift of red blood cells to gauge red blood cell velocity and rate of pulsation. Feasibility testing on the device was carried out using patients requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. Arrest and return of spontaneous circulation during cardiopulmonary bypass is predictable and provided an ideal environment to test the initial performance of a device meant to detect return of spontaneous circulation. The primary working hypothesis was that there would be no significant difference in time of detection of ROSC between the arterial line catheter and the RPC device at the end of cardiopulmonary bypass. The secondary hypothesis was that there would be no difference in pulse rate reading between the arterial line catheter and the RPC device.

This study aims to evaluate the role of angiotensin II, AT1, and AT2 on catecholomine responsive and catecholomine resistant septic shock, and the effect of hydrocortisone traetment on catecholomine resistant septic shock and angiotensin II, AT1, and AT2.Angiotensin II can be used as a biomarker of vasoplegia observed in refractory septic shock unresponsive to catecholamine. In these patients; therapeutic effect of hydrocortisone on hypotension was performed by decreasing AT 2 level, AT2 should be investigated as a therapeutic target in the treatment of vasoplegia-induced hypotension and SVRI measured by minimally invasive cardiac output method suggests that it can be used as a useful parameter in the diagnosis and follow-up of vasoplegia.

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is a temporary mechanical circulatory support that has been increasingly used over the last decade to restore and maintain adequate end-organ perfusion, with data suggesting improvement in outcome for patients with refractory cardiogenic shock. Nevertheless, VA-ECMO weaning should be questioned every day during patient's support. Indeed, studies have shown that the incidence of severe complications related to ECMO is associated with longer circulatory support duration. Inotropes such as dobutamine are currently used to improve myocardial contractility during VA-ECMO support with the aim to enhance left ventricular ejection, aortic valve opening and to shorten ECMO duration. However, many data suggest an increase in mortality related to predisposition to myocardial ischemia and arrythmias. Levosimendan is a calcium sensitizing inotropic agent with systemic, coronary and pulmonary vasodilatory properties and specific cardioprotective effect without increasing myocardial oxygen consumption. The use of levosimendan in patients undergoing VA-ECMO may therefore be of interest both to reduce the duration of mechanical support and to minimize severe complication with few data suggesting a potential benefit of levosimendan for VA-ECMO weaning and survival in post-cardiotomy low cardiac output syndrome with improvement of endothelial function and hemodynamics. Investigators therefore sought to investigate whether the use of levosimendan improves weaning for patients undergoing VA-ECMO support for refractory cardiogenic shock hospitalized in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU).

Fluid therapy is one of the cornerstones of the treatment of organ failure. The investigators assume that fluid bolus will increase the delivery of oxygen to the cells and resolve the shock. The purpose of this study is to asses kinetics of the sublingual microcirculation in one place during a fluid bolus. It is expected that fluid therapy after normalization of the red blood cell flow velocity in the microcirculation will result in a decrease in capillary density through the formation of edema in the tissues. This can be considered to be the tipping of potentially beneficial to deleterious effects of fluid therapy. After cardiac surgery patient will be transferred to the ICU for further stabilisation. Within specific indications the patient will receive a fluid bolus, these indications are hypotension, hyperlactataemia, tachycardia or decreased urine production. The fluid bolus will be 250 ml crystalloids in 15 minutes. The investigators will observe the sublingual microcirculation during this fluid bolus. To asses the red blood cell velocity and capillary vessel density on one spot during this fluid bolus.

Sepsis is a significant cause health care expenditure and carries an extremely high rate of morbidity and mortality if not treated appropriately. From 1979 to 2000, sepsis resulted in over 10 million admissions to hospital in the United States with a mortality rate of 17.9 to 27.8 percent. In Canada, it is estimated that the incidence of sepsis from 2008-2009 was 103.3 per 100,000 per year. Advances in the multifaceted management of sepsis in recent years have resulted in improved clinical outcomes. However, the cornerstone of sepsis management relies on the prompt administration of appropriate antibiotics. Current clinical practice suggests that antibiotic administration can be delayed up to 45 minutes in order to obtain blood cultures, whose results have a profound impact on the type and duration of antimicrobial therapy. Unfortunately, this recommendation is based on very little evidence and the investigators have found that potential life-saving treatment is often delayed in order to abide by it. Furthermore, recent data suggest that mortality could be increased by approximately 5% by delaying antibiotic administration for that time period. The investigators therefore wish to organize a prospective, multi-centre trial in order to identify the effect of antibiotic administration on blood culture positivity in patients presenting with severe sepsis or septic shock. Other objectives will be to elucidate which patient factors, including age, co-morbid conditions and clinical presentation, as well as antibiotic choice will affect blood culture results. This study will be conducted in the emergency departments at St. Paul's Hospital (SPH), Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), Lion's Gate Hospital (LGH), Surrey Memorial Hospital, Montreal General Hospital (MGH), Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) and Maricopa Integrated Health System. Patients identified for the aforementioned conditions will be treated as per routine hospital protocol. If the patient is deemed eligible for the study, a second set of blood of blood cultures will subsequently be drawn ideally between 30 and 60 minutes after the administration of antibiotic therapy. Subject demographic data will be collected pertaining to age, comorbid immunocompromised conditions, vital signs, laboratory tests pertaining to end organ dysfunction, suspected source of sepsis, the type antibiotics administered and the timing of antimicrobial administration with respect to the second set of blood cultures taken. Our hypothesis is that blood culture positivity in patients presenting with severe sepsis and septic shock will not be altered significantly by antibiotic therapy. If so, our study would strongly argue against delaying life-saving therapy and would thus greatly improve patient care in our local emergency rooms. If incorrect, our study would be the first to demonstrate the benefit of obtaining blood cultures before antibiotic therapy and would strengthen current recommendations.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether hemodynamic measures vary in angles bedside before and after volume challenge.

Circulatory failure can affect up to 50% of premature infants that are admitted to neonatal intensive care. This can be because their heart muscle is not developed enough to send blood to vital organs such as the brain. This can lead to severe short term problems such as kidney failure and contribute to poor long term development such as cerebral palsy. In addition babies born too early may need more time to adapt from a circulation that relies on the placenta in the womb to one that is self sufficient. Doctors need to be able to accurately measure the blood supply in an infant. However there is no agreement on how best to do this. This makes decisions about when to treat an infant difficult. Doctors may use drugs such as dopamine or dobutamine to help a babies circulation. However these drugs have not been tested properly in babies older than 33 weeks gestation. This study proposes to observe the way babies older than 33 weeks circulatory problems are treated in the first three days of life. In addition the study will look at two new measurements of a babies blood supply to see if they are a better measure of when an infant needs treatment. This will involve an ultrasound scan of the heart and measurement of the child's oxygen levels from a probe placed on their hand or leg. The study will also look at how the drug dobutamine is processed by babies. This will be done from two small extra blood tests. The aim of the study is to help clinicians refine the identification and treatment of circulatory failure in premature babies.