View clinical trials related to Severe Sepsis.
Filter by:Severe sepsis and septic shock are causes of admission in intensive care units.Modification of natriuretic peptid including NT-proBNP and cardiac autonomic nervous system alteration are reported in sepsis shock and severe sepsis and seems to link to patient prognosis admitted to intensive care units.
Severe sepsis and septic shock are diseases of infectious origin with a high risk of death. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the intravenous application of selenium (given as sodium-selenite) can reduce mortality in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Additionally, it is investigated, whether the measurement of procalcitonin - a marker of infection - can be used to guide anti-infectious measures in this disease.
Severe infection in the intensive care unit is common accounting for about 10% of admissions and has a death rate of approximately 40-50%. It is almost always associated with significant reductions in blood pressure. Administration of fluid often in large volumes is essential to normalize blood pressure and prevent failure of organs and death. Two common classes of fluid solutions are crystalloid fluids (salt based, normal saline) and colloid fluids (protein based, albumin). Due to its properties, the albumin fluid may remain in the vascular space better than the normal saline solution. Hence, there may be faster attainment of normal blood pressure as well as a reduction in failed organs and death. Preliminary clinical trial data suggests a potential for benefit with albumin in this setting but these findings require confirmation in a large clinical trial. There are few data to explain how albumin may exert its protective effects and lead to better outcomes for patients with severe infections. We will conduct a clinical study that will examine potential biological mechanisms for albumin's protective effects in 50 patients across 6 Canadian academic hospitals. We will also examine our ability to successfully recruit patients into this trial. This study will provide information that will help to understand the biological mechanisms of albumin in severe infection. The information gained will guide the investigative team for future fluid related mechanistic questions. The study will also provide essential information that will aid in the design and conduct of the future large clinical trial that will examine death as its primary outcome.
sRAGE, the soluble form of the receptor for advanced glycation end products, is a novel marker of alveolar epithelial type I cell injury, but is also involved in acute systemic inflammation. The purpose of this observational prospective study is to determine whether sRAGE could be used in an ICU setting as a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker during ALI/ARDS, regardless of associated severe sepsis or septic shock.
The overall hypotheses of this project is that severe sepsis is associated with endothelial dysfunction; that endothelial dysfunction, in turn, is predictive of subsequent organ failure and death; and that protocolized resuscitation attenuates endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction and improves patient survival.
Delirium and long-term cognitive dysfunction are important problems in intensive care patients. Patients with sepsis are at a high risk of developing delirium (septic encephalopathy), which may be an important risk factor for the development of long-term cognitive dysfunction. Working hypotheses: 1. Septic encephalopathy and cognitive dysfunction are caused by an unspecific reaction of the brain to an intense inflammatory stimulus. 2. It is possible to therapeutically influence the inflammatory response and its effects on the brain.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of thymosin alpha 1 for treating severe sepsis.
The primary purpose is to improve and quicken the microbial diagnosis in severe infections, since only one third of the cases are documented by blood cultures and adequate anti-infective therapy in the 48 hours reduced mortality and morbidity. Our hypothesis is that detection of microbial DNA in blood by real time PCR may increase the number of cases diagnosed for bacteraemia or fungemia and shorten the time to positive results, which will provide information for an adequate anti-infectious therapy.
BACKGROUND The association between mortality and hypoalbuminemia has been observed in several diseases. Nonetheless, the efficacy of albumin on survival in critically ill patients is controversial. Several meta-analyses have reported either negative, neutral, or beneficial effects of albumin administration. To clarify this controversy, a large multicenter prospective study has been performed, comparing the effects of 4% albumin vs. saline for volume replacement in critically ill patients. Although no difference in the overall mortality has been observed, a predefined subgroup analysis has shown a trend of longer survival in septic patients treated with albumin. As fluid replacement has been shown to be critical in sepsis, and based on both its primary (oncotic) and secondary properties (anti-inflammatory), it is conceivable that the use of albumin for volume replacement and for treating hypoalbuminemia may have a beneficial effects on survival of septic patients. OBJECTIVES Primary objective: to verify whether volume replacement with albumin (treated group) and its maintenance within plasmatic physiologic range (equal or above 30 g/l) improves survival of patients with severe sepsis of septic shock, as compared to crystalloids (control group). Secondary objectives: to verify the differences in organ dysfunctions, hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay between the treated and control group. METHODS About 1350 patients with severe sepsis or septic shock will be randomized to receive either albumin or crystalloids as fluid therapy. Volume replacement will be performed for both groups according to the early-goal directed therapy. Treated group will receive 60 gr albumin infusion after randomization, and 40-60 gr albumin daily infusion to maintain serum album level equal or above 30 g/l. Control group will receive crystalloids for the entire study; albumin administration will be allowed only when daily serum albumin level will be lower than 15 g/l. Patients will be treated until the 28th day after randomization or until ICU discharge, whichever comes first. EXPECTED RESULTS Primary outcomes: absolute risk reduction of overall mortality of 7.5% at 28th day, with a further control at 90th day, following randomization. Secondary outcomes: reduction of number and severity of organ dysfunctions (as assessed by the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score), reduction of ICU and hospital length of stay.
Severe sepsis is a disease with a high mortality. Development of shock is a most serious complication and increases the risk of death considerably. Application of low dose hydrocortisone is currently recommended only in patients after severe septic shock has been established. Hydrocortisone therapy has a hemodynamic stabilizing effect and may reverse shock, however, the preventive application has not been investigated in a larger study. The study investigates whether low dose hydrocortisone prevents the development of shock in patients with severe sepsis. It is postulated that shock prevention may also affect morbidity and mortality.