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Abdominal Aortic AneurysmSAVES-FNCT02097186

Preconditioning Shields Against Vascular Events in Surgery

A study testing Remote ischaemic preconditioning in people with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Carotid Atherosclerosis, run by Mid Western Regional Hospital, Ireland at 6 sites in Ireland.

Unknown status

Status not confirmed. The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

Major vascular surgery involves operations to repair swollen blood vessels, clear debris from blocked arteries or bypass blocked blood vessels. Patients with these problems are a high-risk surgical group as they have generalized blood vessel disease. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
What is being tested?
Remote ischaemic preconditioning
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
400 participants
Where
6 sitesIreland
Study dates
Apr 2014to Aug 2017
Phase
Interventional
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 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age greater than 18 years
  • Patient willing to give full informed consent for participation
  • Patients undergoing elective carotid endarterectomy or
  • Patients undergoing open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair or
  • Patients undergoing endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair or
  • Patients undergoing surgical lower limb revascularisation (suprainguinal or infrainguinal)

Who cannot join

  • Pregnancy
  • Significant upper limb peripheral arterial disease
  • Previous history of upper limb deep vein thrombosis
  • Patients on glibenclamide or nicorandil (these medications may interfere with RIPC) Patients with an estimated pre-operative glomerular filtration rate < 30mls/min/1.73m2
  • Patients with a known history of myocarditis, pericarditis or amyloidosis
  • Patients with an estimated pre-operative glomerular filtration rate < 30mls/min/1.73m2.
Show all 10Show fewer
  • Patients with severe hepatic disease defined as an international normalised ratio >2 in the absence of systemic anticoagulation
  • Patients with severe respiratory disease (for the trial, defined as patients requiring home oxygen therapy)
  • Patients previously enrolled in the trial representing for a further procedure
  • Patients with previous axillary surgery

Trial locations and contacts

6 sites in 1 country.

Stewart R Walsh, MCh FRCS contact

00353 876632654

stewart.walsh@ul.ie

Mary Clarke Moloney, PhD contact

0035361482736

mary.clarkemoloney@hse.ie

6 sites in 1 country

Ireland6 sites, 6 recruiting
  • Cork University Hospital

    Cork, Cork, 000

    Greg Fulton, greg.fulton@hse.ie

    Greg Fulton

    Not yet recruiting
  • Beaumont Hospital

    Dublin, Dublin, 000

    Darragh Moneley, 0035301809 3092

    Darragh Moneley

    Recruiting
  • St James's Hospital

    Dublin, Dublin, 000

    Prakash Madhavan, pmadhavan@stjames.ie

    Prakash Madhavan

    Recruiting
  • University Hospital Galway

    Galway, 00

    Stewart R Walsh, STEWARTREDMOND.WALSH@nuigalway.ie

    Stewart R Walsh

    Recruiting
  • University Hospital Limerick (AKA MidWestern Regional Hospital)

    Limerick, Limerick, 000

    Mary Clarke Moloney, PhD, 0035361482736, mary.clarkemoloney@hse.ie

    Mary Clarke Moloney, PhD.

    Recruiting
  • Waterford Regional Hospital

    Waterford, Waterford, 000

    Simon Cross

    Simon Cross

    Recruiting

Other trials in Ireland

About this study

Official title: Preconditioning Shields Against Vascular Events in Surgery: A Multi-centre Feasibility Trial of Preconditioning Against Adverse Events in Major Vascular Surgery (Preconditioning-SAVES)

Major vascular surgery involves operations to repair swollen blood vessels, clear debris from blocked arteries or bypass blocked blood vessels. Patients with these problems are a high-risk surgical group as they have generalized blood vessel disease. These puts them at risk of major complications around the time of surgery such as heart attacks , strokes and death. The mortality following repair of a swollen main artery in the abdomen is about 1 in 20. This contrasts poorly with the 1 per 100 risk of death following a heart bypass. Simple and cost-effective methods are needed to reduce the risks of major vascular surgery. Remote ischaemic preconditioning (RIPC) may be such a technique. To induce RIPC, the blood supply to muscle in the patient's arm is interrupted for about 5 minutes. It is then restored for a further five minutes. This cycle is repeated three more times. The blood supply is interrupted simply by inflating a blood pressure cuff to maximum pressure. This repeated brief interruption of the muscular blood supply sends signals to critical organs such as the brain and heart, which are rendered temporarily resistant to damage from reduced blood supply. Several small randomized clinical trials in patients undergoing different types of major vascular surgery have demonstrated a potential benefit. This large, multi-centre trial aims to determine whether RIPC can reduce complications in routine practice.

Read the detailed description

The demand for major vascular surgery is increasing [1]. Patients requiring procedures such as aortic aneurysm repair, carotid endarterectomy, lower limb surgical re-vascularisation and major lower limb amputation for end-stage vascular disease constitute a high-risk surgical cohort. Peri-operative complications such as myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, renal failure and death are common [2,3]. Multiple potential mechanisms may result in these complications. For example, myocardial injury may result from systemic hypotension leading to reduced flow across a tight coronary artery stenosis or, alternatively, it may arise due to acute occlusion when an unstable plaque ruptures. Most strategies aimed at peri-operative risk reduction target a single potential mechanism. For example, beta-blockade may prevent myocardial injury due to overwork, but cannot prevent acute coronary occlusion. There is a requirement for a simple, effective intervention that protects tissues against injury via multiple different mechanisms. Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) may be suitable.

Ischemic preconditioning is a phenomenon whereby a brief period of non-lethal ischemia in a tissue renders it resistant to the effects of a subsequent much longer ischaemic insult. It was first described in the canine heart [4]. Subsequent clinical trials showed that ischemic preconditioning reduced heart muscle damage following coronary artery bypass grafting [5] and liver dysfunction following hepatic resection [6]. Following cardiac surgery, it is associated with a reduction in critical care stay, arrhythmias and inotrope use [7]. However, ischemic preconditioning requires direct interference with the target tissues' blood supply, limiting its clinical utility. Further experimental work suggested that brief ischemia in one tissue, such as the kidneys, could confer protection on distant organs such as the heart [8]. A similar effect was observed after transient skeletal muscle ischemia [9-11]. This effect is referred to as 'preconditioning at a distance' or 'remote ischemic preconditioning' (RIPC).

Being tested
Remote ischaemic preconditioning
Keywords
Vascular disease, Open aortic aneurysm repair, Endovascular aneurysm repair, Carotid endartrectomy, Lower limb surgical revascularisation, Major lower limb amputation
Medical subject headings
Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal, Carotid Artery Diseases, Vascular Diseases

What participants receive

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

  • Remote ischaemic preconditioningProcedure or surgery

    Also called RIPC

    Ischaemic preconditioning is a phenomenon whereby a brief period of non-lethal ischaemia in a tissue renders it resistant to the effects of a subsequent much longer ischaemic insult. Remote ischaemic preconditioning works on the theory that brief ischaemia in one tissue could confer protection on distant organs.

Study groups in NCT02097186
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Remote ischaemic preconditioningExperimentalRemote ischaemic preconditioning will be performed in the same manner as several previous trials. Immediately after induction of anaesthesia, a standard, CE-approved blood pressure cuff will be placed around one arm of the patient. It will then be inflated to a pressure of 200mmHg for 5 minutes. For patients with a systolic blood pressure >185mmHg, the cuff will be inflated to at least 15mmHg above the patient's systolic blood pressure. The cuff will then be deflated and the arm allowed reperfuse for 5 minutes. This will be repeated so that each patient receives a total of 4 ischaemia-reperfusion cycles. In all other respects, the procedure and peri-operative care will follow the routine practices of the surgeons and anaesthetists involved.
Receives: Procedure: Remote ischaemic preconditioning
Control to remote preconditioning groupNo interventionPatients randomised to this group will receive routine pre-operative, peri-operative and post operative care.

What is being measured

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

  1. Serum troponin levels

    The trial is intended to pragmatically evaluate the potential of RIPC to improve clinical outcomes among patients undergoing major vascular surgery in routine clinical practice. For the pilot trial, a surrogate marker of efficacy will be used, namely serum troponin I levels. The primary efficacy outcome will be a comparison of the proportion of patients in each arm of the trial who develop a serum troponin level in excess of the upper limit of normal in the first three post-operative days.

    Measured: 3 days

Secondary outcomes (11)
  1. Composite Major Adverse Clinical Events

    The primary endpoint for the trial will be Major Adverse Clinical Events. This is a composite endpoint comprising any of: cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, new onset arrhythmia requiring treatment, cardiac arrest, congestive cardiac failure, cerebrovascular accident, renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy, mesenteric ischaemia requiring intervention or biopsy proven ischaemic colitis, urgent cardiac revascularisation. All participants will undergo a serum troponin levels and 12-lead electrocardiogram on the second post-operative day to screen for silent peri-operative myocardial infarction. Trial ECGs and troponin levels will be interpreted by a blinded trial cardiologist.

    Measured: 30 day

  2. Duration of post-operative hospital stay

    The duration of hospital stay and ITU stay have a major impact on health service resource utilisation, and are factors which can be influenced by surgery.

    Measured: 30 day

  3. Duration of intensive care unit stay

    The duration of hospital stay and ITU stay have a major impact on health service resource utilisation, and are factors which can be influenced by surgery.

    Measured: 30 day

  4. Unplanned critical care unit admission

    The duration of hospital stay and ITU stay have a major impact on health service resource utilisation, and are factors which can be influenced by surgery.

    Measured: 30 day

  5. Acute kidney injury score in first three peri-operative days

    The Acute Kidney Injury Score will be calculated over the first three peri-operative days. Creatinine will be measured daily as part of routine care. Urine volumes will be calculated from the fluid balance charts maintained as part of usual care.

    Measured: 3 days

  6. Post-operative complications

    Postoperative complications will be recorded and results from both groups compared.

    Measured: 30 day

  7. Mortality

    Death within one year of surgery will be determined by contacting the patient's general practitioner.

    Measured: 1 year

  8. Cardiac or cerebral event

    Major adverse cardiac or cerebral event (myocardial infarction, cardiac death, cerebrovascular accident) within 1 year of surgery will be determined by contacting the patient's general practitioner for details.

    Measured: 1 year

  9. Acute upper limb ischaemia

    Acute upper limb ischaemia - This is defined as the development of ischaemia in the arm used for the preconditioning stimulus requiring systemic anti-coagulation, radiological intervention or surgical intervention. The arm will be assessed at the end of surgery to identify if ischaemia is present.

    Measured: 24 hours post-operatively

  10. Acute upper limb deep vein thrombosis

    Acute upper limb deep vein thrombosis - This is defined as the development of thrombus within the subclavian, axillary or brachial vein, which may develop up to 10 days post procedure, confirmed in duplex ultrasound and in the same arm as used for the RIPC stimulus.

    Measured: 10 days

  11. Serial troponin I results

    A comparison of the area under the curve of serial troponin I

    Measured: 3 days

Timeline

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

  1. First posted26 Mar 2014 (estimated)
  2. Study startApr 2014
  3. Primary completionApr 2016 (estimated)
  4. Study completionAug 2017 (estimated)

Resources

More details

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

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
400 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02097186
Sponsor's protocol ID
SAVES-F
Acronym
SAVES-F
Status last verified
Dec 2014
First submitted
24 Mar 2014
Last updated
12 Dec 2014
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Anderson PL, Gelijns A, Moskowitz A, Arons R, Gupta L, Weinberg A, Faries PL, Nowygrod R, Kent KC. Understanding trends in inpatient surgical volume: vascular interventions, 1980-2000. J Vasc Surg. 2004 Jun;39(6):1200-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2004.02.039.

    PubMed 15192558
  • Chambers BR, Donnan GA. Carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Oct 19;2005(4):CD001923. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001923.pub2.

    PubMed 16235289
  • Greenhalgh RM, Brown LC, Kwong GP, Powell JT, Thompson SG; EVAR trial participants. Comparison of endovascular aneurysm repair with open repair in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (EVAR trial 1), 30-day operative mortality results: randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2004 Sep 4-10;364(9437):843-8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16979-1.

    PubMed 15351191
  • Murry CE, Jennings RB, Reimer KA. Preconditioning with ischemia: a delay of lethal cell injury in ischemic myocardium. Circulation. 1986 Nov;74(5):1124-36. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.74.5.1124.

    PubMed 3769170
  • Jenkins DP, Pugsley WB, Alkhulaifi AM, Kemp M, Hooper J, Yellon DM. Ischaemic preconditioning reduces troponin T release in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Heart. 1997 Apr;77(4):314-8. doi: 10.1136/hrt.77.4.314.

    PubMed 9155608
  • Clavien PA, Selzner M, Rudiger HA, Graf R, Kadry Z, Rousson V, Jochum W. A prospective randomized study in 100 consecutive patients undergoing major liver resection with versus without ischemic preconditioning. Ann Surg. 2003 Dec;238(6):843-50; discussion 851-2. doi: 10.1097/01.sla.0000098620.27623.7d.

    PubMed 14631221
  • Walsh SR, Tang TY, Kullar P, Jenkins DP, Dutka DP, Gaunt ME. Ischaemic preconditioning during cardiac surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis of perioperative outcomes in randomised clinical trials. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2008 Nov;34(5):985-94. doi: 10.1016/j.ejcts.2008.07.062. Epub 2008 Sep 9.

    PubMed 18783958
  • Przyklenk K, Bauer B, Ovize M, Kloner RA, Whittaker P. Regional ischemic 'preconditioning' protects remote virgin myocardium from subsequent sustained coronary occlusion. Circulation. 1993 Mar;87(3):893-9. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.87.3.893.

    PubMed 7680290
  • Birnbaum Y, Hale SL, Kloner RA. Ischemic preconditioning at a distance: reduction of myocardial infarct size by partial reduction of blood supply combined with rapid stimulation of the gastrocnemius muscle in the rabbit. Circulation. 1997 Sep 2;96(5):1641-6. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.96.5.1641.

    PubMed 9315559
  • Kharbanda RK, Mortensen UM, White PA, Kristiansen SB, Schmidt MR, Hoschtitzky JA, Vogel M, Sorensen K, Redington AN, MacAllister R. Transient limb ischemia induces remote ischemic preconditioning in vivo. Circulation. 2002 Dec 3;106(23):2881-3. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.0000043806.51912.9b.

    PubMed 12460865
  • Oxman T, Arad M, Klein R, Avazov N, Rabinowitz B. Limb ischemia preconditions the heart against reperfusion tachyarrhythmia. Am J Physiol. 1997 Oct;273(4):H1707-12. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.1997.273.4.H1707.

    PubMed 9362234
  • Healy D, Clarke-Moloney M, Gaughan B, O'Daly S, Hausenloy D, Sharif F, Newell J, O'Donnell M, Grace P, Forbes JF, Cullen W, Kavanagh E, Burke P, Cross S, Dowdall J, McMonagle M, Fulton G, Manning BJ, Kheirelseid EA, Leahy A, Moneley D, Naughton P, Boyle E, McHugh S, Madhaven P, O'Neill S, Martin Z, Courtney D, Tubassam M, Sultan S, McCartan D, Medani M, Walsh S. Preconditioning Shields Against Vascular Events in Surgery (SAVES), a multicentre feasibility trial of preconditioning against adverse events in major vascular surgery: study protocol for a randomised control trial. Trials. 2015 Apr 23;16:185. doi: 10.1186/s13063-015-0678-1.

    PubMed 25903752

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Remote ischaemic preconditioning in people with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Carotid Atherosclerosis, run by Mid Western Regional Hospital, Ireland at 6 sites in Ireland.

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 6 inclusion and 10 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: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Dec 2014. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 6 sites in Ireland. 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?

Results are not available in the source record.

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

Contact Stewart R Walsh, MCh FRCS (00353 876632654, stewart.walsh@ul.ie), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Serum troponin levels (time frame: 3 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 NCT02097186, which also lists 12 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 12 Dec 2014.

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