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Clinical Trials/NCT04608539
NCT04608539
Completed
Phase 4

The Postoperative Iron in Cardiac Surgery (PICS-) Trial: A Randomised Clinical Trial Comparing the Efficacy of Single-, High-dose Intravenous Iron and Oral Iron for the Treatment of Anaemia Following Cardiac Surgery

Michael Kremke1 site in 1 country110 target enrollmentMay 21, 2021

Overview

Phase
Phase 4
Intervention
Ferric Derisomaltose
Conditions
Anemia Postoperative
Sponsor
Michael Kremke
Enrollment
110
Locations
1
Primary Endpoint
The proportion of participants who are neither anemic nor have received allogeneic red blood cells since randomisation
Status
Completed
Last Updated
2 years ago

Overview

Brief Summary

BACKGROUND Anemia and iron deficiency are highly prevalent in cardiac surgery patients. Both conditions may adversely affect postoperative rehabilitation.

At hospital discharge, anemia is almost invariably present due to perioperative blood loss and frequent blood sampling. Two previous analyses demonstrated a prevalence of anemia early after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) of 94% and 98%, respectively. Almost half of CABG patients had persistent anemia two months after surgery. Postoperative anemia may result in debilitating symptoms, like dyspnoea, fatigue and poor exercise tolerance, and is associated with an increased likelihood of cardiovascular events and death after cardiac surgery.

Mild to moderate anemia is commonly corrected with oral iron supplements. Oral iron is however poorly absorbed in patients with chronic diseases, and about 40% of patients suffer from debilitating gastrointestinal side-effects. As iron stores are frequently reduced or depleted after cardiac surgery, treatment with oral iron supplements may take several months.

In patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), iron deficiency is associated with reduced exercise capacity, quality of life and survival even in the absence of anemia. Several large randomised trials demonstrated that treatment with intravenous iron improved clinical symptoms, exercise capacity and quality of life of CHF patients.

RATIONALE It is desirable to replenish body iron stores rapidly after cardiac surgery with the aim to effectively correct anemia, optimize exercise tolerance and improve patient wellbeing.

Modern intravenous iron formulations permit fast replenishment of body iron stores and have emerged as potential alternatives to oral iron. These formulations are well-tolerated and have become an established therapeutic option in anemic patients with reduced intestinal iron absorption. Several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of intravenous iron for the treatment of anemia following major non-cardiac surgery.

Data regarding the efficacy of intravenous iron in cardiac surgery, however, are conflicting.

HYPOTHESIS Single-dose intravenous iron therapy with ferric derisomaltose/iron isomaltoside is superior to oral iron supplementation for the correction of anemia following cardiac surgery. Moreover, single-dose intravenous iron therapy with ferric derisomaltose/iron isomaltoside results in a greater postoperative exercise capacity, an improved quality of life and less fatigue.

Registry
clinicaltrials.gov
Start Date
May 21, 2021
End Date
June 27, 2023
Last Updated
2 years ago
Study Type
Interventional
Study Design
Parallel
Sex
All

Investigators

Sponsor
Michael Kremke
Responsible Party
Sponsor Investigator
Principal Investigator

Michael Kremke

Principal Investigator

Aarhus University Hospital

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Patients 18 years of age or older undergoing first-time, non-emergent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Eligible procedures are A: isolated CABG surgery (+/- arrhythmia surgery), B: isolated cardiac valve surgery (+/- arrhythmia surgery), C: a combination of CABG and cardiac valve surgery (+/- arrhythmia surgery)
  • Moderate anaemia on the first postoperative day. According to World Health Organization-criteria defined as a haemoglobin concentration of equal to or greater than 5.0 mmol/l (8 g/dl) and less than 6.8 mmol/l (11 g/dl).

Exclusion Criteria

  • Known hypersensitivity to any iron formulation
  • Multiple drug allergies or history of previous anaphylaxis
  • Severe asthma, eczema or another atopic allergy
  • Rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus
  • History of iron overload or disturbances in iron utilisation (e.g. haemochromatosis, hemosiderosis)
  • History of liver disease (e.g. cirrhosis)
  • Severe active infection or inflammation (e.g. endocarditis)
  • Porphyria cutanea tarda
  • Treatment with intravenous iron within 4 weeks prior to surgery.
  • Untreated vitamin B12 or folate deficiency.

Arms & Interventions

Intravenous iron group

Single-dose intravenous infusion of 20 mg/kg body weight ferric derisomaltose/iron isomaltoside 1000 (MonoFer®)

Intervention: Ferric Derisomaltose

Oral iron group

Oral therapy with 100 mg oral ferrous sulfate twice daily

Intervention: Ferrous sulfate

Oral iron group

Oral therapy with 100 mg oral ferrous sulfate twice daily

Intervention: normal saline

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

The proportion of participants who are neither anemic nor have received allogeneic red blood cells since randomisation

Time Frame: 4-week follow-up

Unit: percentage; anemia according to WHO criteria defined as hemoglobin \< 12 g/dl in women and \< 13 g/dl in men.

Secondary Outcomes

  • Mean haemoglobin level(4-week follow-up)
  • Proportion of participants with a haemoglobin increase ≥ 1.3 mmol/l (≥ 2 g/dL)(From baseline to 4-week follow-up)
  • Mean change in hemoglobin level(From baseline to 4-week follow-up)
  • Mean reticulocyte count(4-week follow-up)
  • Mean plasma iron(4-week follow-up)
  • Mean plasma ferritin(4-week follow-up)
  • Mean transferrin saturation(4-week follow-up)
  • Mean change in haemoglobin level(From the day before surgery to 4-week follow-up)
  • Mean change in plasma ferritin(From the day before surgery to 4-week follow-up)
  • Mean change in reticulocyte count(From the day before surgery to 4-week follow-up)
  • Mean change in plasma iron(From the day before surgery to 4-week follow-up)
  • Mean change in transferrin saturation(From the day before surgery to 4-week follow-up)
  • Proportion of participants transfused with allogeneic red blood cells(From the time of randomisation to 4-week follow-up)
  • Six-minute walk distance(4-week follow-up)
  • Health-related quality of life(4-week follow-up)
  • Fatique(4-week follow-up)
  • New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class(4-week follow-up)

Study Sites (1)

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