Crystalloid Fluid Choice and Neurological Outcome in Patients After Subarachnoid Haemorrhage

NCT ID: NCT04043598

Last Updated: 2025-12-18

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 320 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-05-24
• Study Completion Date: 2026-07-31

Brief Summary

Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage are prone to suffer from dysnatriemia. Evidence shows that hyponatriemia is associated with increased incidence of vasospasm, brain swelling and mortality in these patients. Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage often require large amounts of iv fluids in order to maintain euvolemia and support cardiocirculatory function. Prior evidence shows that the type of infusion fluid significantly influences blood sodium content. Hence, this study evaluated whether the sodium content of the infusion solution impacts mortality and morbidity in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Detailed Description

Background: Despite ongoing advances in critical care mortality and morbidity of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage remains high. Secondary brain injuries related to cerebral vasospasm and consecutive ischemic brain injury and intracerebral edema are the main contributors to mortality and morbidity in these patients. Evidence points towards low serum sodium levels being one of the significant risk factors for of secondary brain injury in this population. Previous studies show that fluid resuscitation with normal saline results in higher serum sodium levels and higher serum osmolality when compared to balanced infusates in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Aim: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate whether the use of a sodium-rich infusion (normal saline) results in better clinical outcome when compared to a sodium-depleted infusion (lactated Ringer's) in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The primary endpoint will be the occurrence of clinically relevant vasospasm requiring immediate treatment. In addition, the investigators will assess other relevant complications such as long and short-term mortality, significant brain edema requiring conservative therapy or/and operative hemicraniectomy, as well as further patient-relevant outcomes such as days on organ support, postoperative infections, length of stay and long-term disability/mortality.

Study intervention: All patients admitted to a participating hospital with the diagnosis of intracerebral bleeding will be screened and if eligible, randomized to one of the study arms. Individual patient's consent will be sought. Thereafter, patients will receive only the allocated study fluid for fluid maintenance and resuscitation from study inclusion until ICU/intermediate care (IMC) discharge. Neurological evaluation will be performed hourly for the initial phase and thereafter two hourly. Serum sodium, osmolality, fluid, water and electrolyte balance as well as acid-base homeostasis will be evaluated daily. Further, specific assessment of renal, cardiac and immune function takes place at 5 pre-specified time-points (day 1,3,7,10 and at ICU/IMC discharge).

After ICU/IMC discharge patients will be followed for evaluation of secondary endpoints. Long-term disability will be assessed by telephone interview based on the modified the Rankin-Scale and the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended.

Sample Size: Sample size calculation was based upon the investigators' ICU's registry data. In 2017, 44.38% patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage reached the predefined endpoint of clinically relevant vasospasm requiring immediate intervention. A clinically relevant effect size was determined to be an improvement in outcome of 15%. Based on these results a patient number of n = 160 for each group was determined under estimation of a 15% drop out rate.

Conditions

Subarachnoid Hemorrhage; Critical Illness; Infusion Fluid; Sodium Disorder

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: QUADRUPLE

Study Groups

low sodium infusion fluid

Patients will exclusively receive lactated Ringer's (sodium content 130mmol/l) for fluid maintenance and resuscitation from study inclusion until ICU/intermediate care (IMC) discharge.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Ringer's Lactate

Intervention Type: DRUG

We will compare two already established treatment protocols: the use of normal saline versus lactated Ringer's for fluid therapy in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

high sodium infusion fluid

Patients will exclusively receive 0.9% saline (sodium content 154mmol/l) for fluid maintenance and resuscitation from study inclusion until ICU/intermediate care (IMC) discharge.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

0.9% Sodium-chloride

Intervention Type: DRUG

We will compare two already established treatment protocols: the use of normal saline versus lactated Ringer's for fluid therapy in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Interventions

0.9% Sodium-chloride

We will compare two already established treatment protocols: the use of normal saline versus lactated Ringer's for fluid therapy in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Ringer's Lactate

We will compare two already established treatment protocols: the use of normal saline versus lactated Ringer's for fluid therapy in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

All adult patients suffering from non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients with major intra-cranial trauma
• Diagnosis of an AV-malformation as the source of subarachnoid hemorrhage on the primary CT/MRI or angiography
• More than 24 hours after diagnosis of subarachnoid haemorrhage as diagnosed by cerebral imaging (CT scan or MRI)
• Patients with clear limitation to therapy at hospital admission (eg ICU admission for evaluation of organ donation)
• Declining of informed consent

• Minimum Eligible Age: 16 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Anna S Messmer, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Department of Intensive Care, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

Locations

Department of perioperative Intensive Care Medicine

Sankt Gallen, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland

Site Status: RECRUITING

Department of Intensive Care, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

Bern, , Switzerland

Site Status: RECRUITING

Department of Intensive Care Medicine

Geneva, , Switzerland

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Switzerland

Central Contacts

Anna S Messmer, MD

Role: CONTACT

Phone: +41316322111

Email: anna.messmer@insel.ch

Research Nurses Department of Intensive Care

Role: CONTACT

Phone: +41316322111

Email: kim.researchnurses@insel.ch

Facility Contacts

Urs Pietsch, PD Dr. med.

Role: primary

Anna S Messmer, MD

Role: primary

Hervé Quintard, Prof. Dr. med.

Role: primary

References

Messmer AS, Pitteloud M, Quintard H, Pietsch U, Muller M, Filipovic M, Jakob SM, Z'Graggen WJ, Schefold JC, Pfortmueller CA. CRYSTALLBrain: crystalloid fluid choice and neurological outcome in patients with non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage-a study protocol for a multi-centre randomised double-blind clinical trial. Trials. 2025 Oct 17;26(1):422. doi: 10.1186/s13063-025-09099-9.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 41107997 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

CRYSTALLBrain

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id