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Clinical Trials/NCT03643367
NCT03643367
Not yet recruiting
Phase 2

Sevoflurane Sedation: a Potentially Promising Immunomodulation in Patients with Septic Shock

University of Zurich4 sites in 1 country153 target enrollmentJanuary 2026

Overview

Phase
Phase 2
Intervention
Sevoflurane
Conditions
Shock, Septic
Sponsor
University of Zurich
Enrollment
153
Locations
4
Primary Endpoint
Concentration of interleukin-6 over time
Status
Not yet recruiting
Last Updated
last year

Overview

Brief Summary

Recent in vivo studies from others as well as the investigators group demonstrated that volatile anesthetics immunomodulate sepsis and improve outcome. Also, several clinical trials have convincingly shown that application of a volatile anesthetic provides protection in patients undergoing major surgery.

Patients with sepsis are intubated and ventilated and therefore need sedation. So far, most ICU centers use intravenously applied sedatives in these patients. In the proposed study, we will switch sedation from an intravenous to a volatile anesthetic for a short period of time to explore if sepsis markers improve within the following 120 hours upon sevoflurane conditioning.

Detailed Description

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted over a period of 48 months, to investigate if volatile anesthetics have a positive effect on the prognostic sepsis marker IL-6. All patients with septic shock are intubated, ventilated and sedated with an intravenous anesthetic. In this study, eligible patients diagnosed with septic shock will be randomized 1:1 to the 'volatile group' with interruption of the propofol infusion, followed by a 4-hour sedation with the volatile anesthetic sevoflurane, or a continuous intravenous sedation ('intravenous' =control group). In both groups, 'intravenous' and 'volatile', the inflammatory markers as well as clinical parameters will be determined. The investigators will explore if there is a difference between the course of sepsis markers of the two groups within 5 days after intervention in favor of the volatile group.

Registry
clinicaltrials.gov
Start Date
January 2026
End Date
November 2027
Last Updated
last year
Study Type
Interventional
Study Design
Parallel
Sex
All

Investigators

Responsible Party
Sponsor

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Male and female patients, age 18 to 80 years
  • Intensive care Unit (ICU) patients with septic shock (despite fluid resuscitation vasopressors needed to maintain mean arterial pressure ≥65 millimeter of mercury (mmHg), and serum lactate \>2mmol/l even with fluid application)
  • Treatment of septic shock on ICU with vasopressors not longer than 12 hours
  • Sedation and mechanical ventilation on ICU
  • Female patients of childbearing potential with negative pregnancy test
  • Informed Consent as documented by signature

Exclusion Criteria

  • Previous surgery and/or anesthesia (within last 7 days)
  • Application of nitric oxide (NO)
  • Suspected or known intolerance by history to volatile anesthetics (malignant hyperthermia)
  • Immunosuppressive agents
  • Systemic corticosteroids in the phase before hospitalization (\> 10mg/d prednisone)
  • Significant concomitant disease (acute cerebral vascular event, acute coronary syndrome, decompensated heart failure, acute pulmonary edema, major cardiac arrhythmia, seizure, burn, chronic kidney disease, end stage liver failure, neuromuscular disease)
  • Autoimmune disease
  • Organ transplant
  • Subject with active malignancy receiving
  • chemotherapy or radiation treatment within last 60 days

Arms & Interventions

Sevoflurane Sedation

Patients randomized into experimental group will be treated with sevoflurane during 4 hours

Intervention: Sevoflurane

Propofol Sedation

Patients randomized into Control Group will get continued intravenous sedation with propofol

Intervention: Control Group

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Concentration of interleukin-6 over time

Time Frame: 5 days

To see if the interleukin-6 decreases under the influence of sevoflurane

Secondary Outcomes

  • Pro-/anti-inflammatory mediators(5 days)
  • Vasopressor support(5 days)
  • Sequential organ failure score (SOFA Score)(5 days)
  • Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale(5 days)
  • Duration of mechanical ventilation(28 days)
  • Mortality(28 days)

Study Sites (4)

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