Low-Dose Dexmedetomidine for Delirium Prevention in Mechanically Ventilated Septic Patients

NCT ID: NCT04876937

Last Updated: 2025-08-05

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

TERMINATED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

42 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-05-28

Study Completion Date

2024-03-02

Brief Summary

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Delirium is common in septic patients, especially those receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU). Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective α2 adrenoreceptor agonist with anxiolytic, sedative, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Use of dexmedetomidine in mechanically ventilated ICU patients is associated with less delirium and improved outcomes. However, dexmedetomidine infusion produces dose-dependent bradycardia and hypotension; these limited the use of dexmedetomidine in ICU patients. This study is designed to test the hypothesis that low-dose dexmedetomidine infusion can also reduce delirium in mechanically ventilated ICU patients with sepsis.

Detailed Description

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Delirium is an acutely occurred and fluctuating disorder of consciousness, attention, and cognition. The occurrence of delirium is associated with worse outcomes including prolonged mechanical ventilation, prolonged length of stay in ICU and hospital, increased complications, higher in-hospital mortality, and evaluated medical expenses. It is also associated with worse long-term outcomes including cognitive decline, worse quality of life, and shortened long-term survival.

Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective α2 adrenoreceptor agonist with anxiolytic, sedative, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Studies showed that use of dexmedetomidine is associated with less delirium in ICU patients. Potential mechanisms may include better sleep quality, less consumption of opioids and benzodiazepines, and suppressed inflammatory response.

The incidence of sepsis in ICU patients is as high as 47.2%; 93% of septic patients relying on mechanical ventilation. Delirium is common in septic patients; the reported incidences varies from 20% to 50%. The incidence of delirium in critically ill patients with mechanical ventilation is up to 60-84%. However, the majority of mechanically ventilated ICU patients are sedated with propofol; only 10% of them are given dexmedetomidine. A main reason is that dexmedetomidine infusion is associated with dose-related bradycardia and hypotension.

In a previous study, might-time low-dose dexmedetomidine infusion (0.1 μg/kg/h) improved subjective sleep quality and reduced delirium in elderly patients admitted to ICU after surgery. In another study of ICU patients receiving mechanical ventilation, low-dose dexmedetomidine infusion (0-0.5 μg/kg/h) based on protocol sedation also reduced delirium and shortened mechanical ventilation without increasing adverse events. We hypothesized that, in ICU septic patients with mechanical ventilation, low-dose dexmedetomidine infusion (0.1-0.2 μg/kg/h) might also reduce delirium.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of low-dose dexmedetomidine infusion on incidence of delirium in ICU septic patients with mechanical ventilation.

Conditions

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Adult Intensive Care Unit Sepsis Mechanical Ventilation Delirium Dexmedetomidine

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Dexmedetomidine group

Dexmedetomidine is infused at a rate of 0.1-0.2 ug/kg/h during mechanical ventilation, for a maximum of 7 days.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Dexmedetomidine

Intervention Type DRUG

Dexmedetomidine is infused at a rate of 0.1-0.2 μg/kg/h (0.025-0.05 ml/kg/h) from study recruitment in the ICU during mechanical ventilation, for no more than 7 days.

Placebo group

Placebo (normal saline) is infused at a same rate as in the dexmedetomidine group during mechanical ventilation, for a maximum of 7 days.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo (normal saline)

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo (normal saline) is infused at a rate of 0.025-0.05 ml/kg/h from study recruitment in the ICU during mechanical ventilation, for no more than 7 days.

Interventions

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Dexmedetomidine

Dexmedetomidine is infused at a rate of 0.1-0.2 μg/kg/h (0.025-0.05 ml/kg/h) from study recruitment in the ICU during mechanical ventilation, for no more than 7 days.

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo (normal saline)

Placebo (normal saline) is infused at a rate of 0.025-0.05 ml/kg/h from study recruitment in the ICU during mechanical ventilation, for no more than 7 days.

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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Dexmedetomidine hydrochloride Normal saline

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Aged 18 years or older;
2. Admitted to the ICU;
3. With expected mechanical ventilation duration ≥12 hours;
4. Meet the diagnostic criteria of sepsis (sepsis 3.0; patient with infection and a sequential organ failure assessment score ≥2).

Exclusion Criteria

1. Refuse to participate in;
2. Pregnancy;
3. History of schizophrenia, epilepsy, parkinsonism, or myasthenia gravis;
4. Inability to communicate (coma, profound dementia, or language barrier);
5. Brain injury or neurosurgery;
6. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 30%, sick sinus syndrome, severe sinus bradycardia (\<50 beats per min \[bpm\]), or second degree or greater atrioventricular block without pacemaker;
7. Serious hepatic dysfunction (Child-Pugh class C);
8. Serious renal dysfunction (undergoing dialysis);
9. With expected survival for no more than 24 hours;
10. Allergic to dexmedetomidine;
11. Other conditions that were considered unsuitable for study participation.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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China-Japan Friendship Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Beijing Hospital

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Beijing Friendship Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Beijing Tongren Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Peking University First Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Dong-Xin Wang

Professor and Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Dong-Xin Wang, MD,PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Peking University First Hospital

Locations

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Peking University First Hospital

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China

Site Status

Countries

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China

References

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Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Roberts B, Rickard CM, Rajbhandari D, Turner G, Clarke J, Hill D, Tauschke C, Chaboyer W, Parsons R. Multicentre study of delirium in ICU patients using a simple screening tool. Aust Crit Care. 2005 Feb;18(1):6, 8-9, 11-4 passim. doi: 10.1016/s1036-7314(05)80019-0.

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Ely EW, Gautam S, Margolin R, Francis J, May L, Speroff T, Truman B, Dittus R, Bernard R, Inouye SK. The impact of delirium in the intensive care unit on hospital length of stay. Intensive Care Med. 2001 Dec;27(12):1892-900. doi: 10.1007/s00134-001-1132-2. Epub 2001 Nov 8.

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Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Reade MC, Eastwood GM, Bellomo R, Bailey M, Bersten A, Cheung B, Davies A, Delaney A, Ghosh A, van Haren F, Harley N, Knight D, McGuiness S, Mulder J, O'Donoghue S, Simpson N, Young P; DahLIA Investigators; Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group. Effect of Dexmedetomidine Added to Standard Care on Ventilator-Free Time in Patients With Agitated Delirium: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2016 Apr 12;315(14):1460-8. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.2707.

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Geloen A, Chapelier K, Cividjian A, Dantony E, Rabilloud M, May CN, Quintin L. Clonidine and dexmedetomidine increase the pressor response to norepinephrine in experimental sepsis: a pilot study. Crit Care Med. 2013 Dec;41(12):e431-8. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0b013e3182986248.

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Other Identifiers

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2020-241

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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