AzTrials
AzTrials

SepsisNCT01328509

Zinc and Inflammation in Sepsis

An observational study of Sepsis, run by University of Aberdeen at 1 site in United Kingdom.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

The purpose of the proposed project is to investigate measures of zinc status in relation to oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with sepsis. We hypothesise that zinc depletion can modulate inflammatory responses, leading to increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 16 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Sepsis
How many people
39 participants
Where
1 siteUnited Kingdom
Study dates
Jan 2012to May 2013
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 16 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Study population: Successive patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary who fulfil the following criteria for sepsis, given below, within a 24h time window. • .

Who may be able to join

  • admitted to ICU with clinical suspicion or evidence of acute infection PLUS two or more of the following:
  • Core temperature <36 degrees C or >38 degrees C
  • Tachycardia; heart rate > 90 beats/min.
  • Tachypnoea; respiratory rate > 20 breaths/min or mechanical ventilation
  • White blood count >12 x 10 9/l or <4 x 10 9/l
  • Control patients
  • admitted to ICU with no clinical evidence or suspicion of infection

Who cannot join

  • under 16 years old
  • pregnant or lactating
  • HIV positive
  • receiving corticosteroids or other known immuno-modulatory drugs
  • treated with statins in the last month
  • have cancer
  • have autoimmune disorders
  • consent/assent is refused

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United Kingdom1 site
  • Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

    Aberdeen, Scotland, AB41 8TK

Other trials in United Kingdom

About this study

The purpose of the proposed project is to investigate measures of zinc status in relation to oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with sepsis. We hypothesise that zinc depletion can modulate inflammatory responses, leading to increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Sepsis is a severe infection is the leading cause of death in critically ill patients [1]. Zinc deficiency impairs overall immune function and resistance to infection [2]. In vitro exposure of monocytes to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leads to decreased cellular zinc content [3] and zinc redistribution has been shown in human volunteers in response to LPS [4]. Zinc depletion occurs in hospitalized patients including those with infections, the elderly, alcoholics, trauma or burns [5-8], conditions which are common among critically ill patients with sepsis. In a mouse model of sepsis, zinc depletion prior to sepsis resulted in more inflammation and more severe organ injury and increased mortality [9]. In patients with sepsis, early feeding with zinc resulted in faster recovery of organ function compared with control [10]. Zinc status is likely to be compromised in the critically ill and that zinc depletion may affect inflammatory responses and recovery.

Read more

Although zinc is not an antioxidant itself, it binds to metallothionein [11] and zinc supplementation decreases oxidative stress [12]. Oxidative stress has been consistently reported in patients with sepsis [13-15]. We have recently shown that protection of mitochondrial function with antioxidants can reduce organ damage in rats [16]. Pentraxin-3 is an inflammatory marker which is regulated in part by antioxidants and plays a key role in innate immunity [17].

The consequences of zinc deficiency may relate, in part, to its effects on nuclear factor NFκB, a transcription factor crucial to the signalling networks involved in sepsis [18]. Higher NFκB activity is associated with increased mortality in patients with sepsis [19,20]. It is likely that compromised antioxidant defences and inflammation occurs as a consequence of zinc deficiency.

We propose to measure plasma zinc and metallothionein mRNA status in relation to inflammatory markers including key cytokines, pentraxin-3, markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status in patients with sepsis.

Read the detailed description

Following ethical approval consent will be sought from either the patient, or assent from a near relative. Successive patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary who fulfil the following criteria for sepsis, given below, within a 24h time window, will be included.

  • Clinical suspicion or evidence of acute infection
  • SIRS defined by two or more of the following:
  1. Core temperature <36 degrees C or >38 degrees C
  2. Tachycardia; heart rate > 90 beats/min.
  3. Tachypnoea; respiratory rate > 20 breaths/min or mechanical ventilation
  4. White blood count >12 x 109/l or <4 x 109/l

In this pilot study we will recruit 20 patients with sepsis and 20 critically ill patients with no clinical suspicion of sepsis. Patients will be excluded if they are <16 years, pregnant or lactating, HIV positive, receiving corticosteroids or other known immuno-modulatory drugs (including statins), have cancer or autoimmune disorders or if consent/assent is refused.

Blood samples will be obtained on Days 1,2, 5, 10 and 14 of the ICU stay. Peripheral whole blood will be sampled from an indwelling arterial line and plasma will be separated for analysis of plasma zinc using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and pentraxin-3 (PTX3) will be measured using enzyme immunoassay and total antioxidant capacity and lipid hydroperoxides will be measured colourimetrically [17]. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) will be separated using single density gradient centrifugation, RNA extracted and metallothionein mRNA measured using qPCR [21]. Nuclear extracts of MNC will be prepared and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB)activation measured using an enzyme immunoassay [17].

Conditions
Sepsis
Keywords
Zinc
Medical subject headings
Sepsis

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

Study groups in NCT01328509
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
SepsisPatients with sepsis
ControlPatients with no clinical evidence of sepsis, but who are critically ill

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Plasma zinc concentration

    Plasma zinc will be measured in patients with sepsis and non-spetic critically ill control patients.

    Measured: 14 days

Secondary outcomes (6)
  1. Interleukin-6

    The relationship between IL-6 and plasma zinc

    Measured: 14 days

  2. Pentraxin-3

    The relationship between PTX-3 and plasma zinc

    Measured: 14 days

  3. Plasma lipid peroxide

    The relationship between LPO and plasma zinc

    Measured: 14 days

  4. Plasma total antioxidant capacity

    The relationship between TAC and plasma zinc

    Measured: 14 days

  5. Metallothionein mRNA

    Change in MTmRNA in mononuclear leucocytes in relation to plasma zinc and inflammatory markers

    Measured: 14 days

  6. Nuclear factor kappa B

    Change in NFkB in nuclear extracts from mononuclear cells in relation to plasma zinc

    Measured: 14 days

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted4 Apr 2011 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2012
  3. Primary completionMay 2013
  4. Study completionMay 2013

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
39 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01328509
Sponsor's protocol ID
11/AL/0137
Status last verified
Jul 2013
First submitted
31 Mar 2011
Last updated
8 Jul 2013
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Martin GS, Mannino DM, Eaton S, Moss M. The epidemiology of sepsis in the United States from 1979 through 2000. N Engl J Med. 2003 Apr 17;348(16):1546-54. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa022139.

    PubMed 12700374
  • Rink L, Gabriel P. Zinc and the immune system. Proc Nutr Soc. 2000 Nov;59(4):541-52. doi: 10.1017/s0029665100000781.

    PubMed 11115789
  • Goode HF, Rathbone BJ, Kelleher J, Walker BE. Monocyte zinc and in vitro prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1 beta production by cultured peripheral blood monocytes in patients with Crohn's disease. Dig Dis Sci. 1991 May;36(5):627-33. doi: 10.1007/BF01297030.

    PubMed 2022165
  • Gaetke LM, McClain CJ, Talwalkar RT, Shedlofsky SI. Effects of endotoxin on zinc metabolism in human volunteers. Am J Physiol. 1997 Jun;272(6 Pt 1):E952-6. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.1997.272.6.E952.

    PubMed 9227437
  • Goode HF, Penn ND, Kelleher J, Walker BE. Evidence of cellular zinc depletion in hospitalized but not in healthy elderly subjects. Age Ageing. 1991 Sep;20(5):345-8. doi: 10.1093/ageing/20.5.345.

    PubMed 1755390
  • Schmuck A, Roussel AM, Arnaud J, Ducros V, Favier A, Franco A. Analyzed dietary intakes, plasma concentrations of zinc, copper, and selenium, and related antioxidant enzyme activities in hospitalized elderly women. J Am Coll Nutr. 1996 Oct;15(5):462-8. doi: 10.1080/07315724.1996.10718625.

    PubMed 8892172
  • Goode HF, Kelleher J, Walker BE. The effects of acute infection on indices of zinc status. Clin Nutr. 1991 Feb;10(1):55-9. doi: 10.1016/0261-5614(91)90082-n.

    PubMed 16839895
  • Berger MM, Cavadini C, Chiolero R, Dirren H. Copper, selenium, and zinc status and balances after major trauma. J Trauma. 1996 Jan;40(1):103-9. doi: 10.1097/00005373-199601000-00019.

    PubMed 8576970
  • Knoell DL, Julian MW, Bao S, Besecker B, Macre JE, Leikauf GD, DiSilvestro RA, Crouser ED. Zinc deficiency increases organ damage and mortality in a murine model of polymicrobial sepsis. Crit Care Med. 2009 Apr;37(4):1380-8. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0b013e31819cefe4.

    PubMed 19242332
  • Beale RJ, Sherry T, Lei K, Campbell-Stephen L, McCook J, Smith J, Venetz W, Alteheld B, Stehle P, Schneider H. Early enteral supplementation with key pharmaconutrients improves Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score in critically ill patients with sepsis: outcome of a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial. Crit Care Med. 2008 Jan;36(1):131-44. doi: 10.1097/01.CCM.0000297954.45251.A9.

    PubMed 18007263
  • Bell SG, Vallee BL. The metallothionein/thionein system: an oxidoreductive metabolic zinc link. Chembiochem. 2009 Jan 5;10(1):55-62. doi: 10.1002/cbic.200800511.

    PubMed 19089881
  • Prasad AS. Clinical, immunological, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant roles of zinc. Exp Gerontol. 2008 May;43(5):370-7. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2007.10.013. Epub 2007 Nov 1.

    PubMed 18054190
  • Goode HF, Cowley HC, Walker BE, Howdle PD, Webster NR. Decreased antioxidant status and increased lipid peroxidation in patients with septic shock and secondary organ dysfunction. Crit Care Med. 1995 Apr;23(4):646-51. doi: 10.1097/00003246-199504000-00011.

    PubMed 7712754
  • Cowley HC, Bacon PJ, Goode HF, Webster NR, Jones JG, Menon DK. Plasma antioxidant potential in severe sepsis: a comparison of survivors and nonsurvivors. Crit Care Med. 1996 Jul;24(7):1179-83. doi: 10.1097/00003246-199607000-00019.

    PubMed 8674332
  • Galley HF, Howdle PD, Walker BE, Webster NR. The effects of intravenous antioxidants in patients with septic shock. Free Radic Biol Med. 1997;23(5):768-74. doi: 10.1016/s0891-5849(97)00059-2.

    PubMed 9296454

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Sepsis, run by University of Aberdeen at 1 site in United Kingdom.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jul 2013. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Plasma zinc concentration (time frame: 14 days). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01328509, which also lists 23 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Jul 2013.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in