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Neuromuscular BlockadePhase 4NCT04287426

A Comparison of Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg and Remifentanil 2 µg/kg in Elderly Patients Over 80 Years

A Phase 4 study testing Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg and Remifentanil 2 µg/kg in people with Neuromuscular Blockade and Intubation Complication, run by Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet at 2 sites in Denmark.

Completed

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

Official record
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Trial summary

The number of elderly patients above 80 years is increasing and a large proportion of these patients will require surgery and anesthesia. During anesthesia neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) are administered to facilitate intubating conditions and reduce the trauma to the larynx and vocal cords. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 80 years and older
What is being tested?
Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg and Remifentanil 2 µg/kg
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
78 participants
Where
2 sitesDenmark
Study dates
11 Mar 2020to 13 Dec 2020
Phase
Phase 4
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 80 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age ≥ 80
  • Scheduled for elective operations (expected duration of anesthesia > 1 hour) under general anesthesia with intubation
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification (ASA) I to III
  • Informed consent (see appendix 1)
  • Read and understand Danish

Who cannot join

  • Neuromuscular disease
  • Known allergy to rocuronium, remifentanil or sugammadex
  • Rapid sequence induction

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Denmark2 sites
  • Rigshospitalet

    Copenhagen, 2100

  • Rigshospitalet, Glostrup

    Glostrup Municipality, 2600

Other trials in Denmark

About this study

Official title: A Single-blinded Multicenter Randomized Study Comparing Intubating Conditions After Either Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg or Remifentanil 2 µg/kg in Elderly Patients

The number of elderly patients above 80 years is increasing and a large proportion of these patients will require surgery and anesthesia.

During anesthesia neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) are administered to facilitate intubating conditions and reduce the trauma to the larynx and vocal cords. There is a risk of residual neuromuscular block when using NMBAs like rocuronium.

Read more

Remifentanil is a fentanyl analogue commonly used for induction since it also facilitates intubation. There is no risk of residual neuromuscular block, nonetheless circulatory side effects have been seen.

It is unknown which is superior concerning intubating conditions in elderly patients. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the effect on intubating conditions and laryngeal morbidity after either rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg or remifentanil 2 µg/kg in patients with age ≥ 80 years. The hypothesis of this study is that rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg provides a higher proportion with excellent intubating conditions compared to remifentanil 2 µg/kg.

Read the detailed description

The number of elderly patients (>80 years) is increasing and a large proportion of these patients will require surgery and anesthesia within the next decades. Elderly patients are at higher risk of major morbidity and mortality and are characterized by a reduction in cardiac output, liver function and renal function. These physiological changes influence pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of drugs administered during anesthesia.

During anesthesia neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) are administered to facilitate intubating conditions and reduce the trauma to the larynx and vocal cords. Studies suggests that avoidance of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) increases the risk of difficult tracheal intubation and leads to impaired intubating conditions with direct laryngoscopy. Furthermore, avoidance of NMBA significantly increases the risk of upper airway discomfort or injury. Even low doses of rocuronium may be associated with a significant improvement of intubating conditions.

Remifentanil is a fentanyl analogue commonly used for induction since it also facilitates intubation. There is no risk of residual neuromuscular block, nonetheless circulatory side effects have been seen.

The possible benefit in this trial is to investigate whether rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg or remifentanil 2 µg/kg provides best intubating conditions in the elderly. This may result in different intubating difficulty scores between the two groups of elderly patients. The results may help to detect the optimal method for intubation of the trachea in elderly patients.

The aim of this study is to determine the effect on intubating conditions and laryngeal morbidity after either rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg or remifentanil 2 µg/kg in patients with age ≥ 80 years. The hypothesis of this study is that rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg provides a higher proportion with excellent intubating conditions compared to remifentanil 2 µg/kg.

Being tested
Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg, Remifentanil 2 µg/kg

What participants receive

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

  • Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kgDrug

    Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg is compared to patients with 2 µg/kg remifentanil

  • Remifentanil 2 µg/kgDrug

    Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg is compared to patients with 2 µg/kg remifentanil

Study groups in NCT04287426
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Group receiving rocuronium at inductionActive comparatorRocuronium 0,6 mg/kg at induction
Receives: Drug: Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg
Group receiving remifentanil at inductionActive comparatorRemifentanil 2 μg/kg at induction
Receives: Drug: Remifentanil 2 µg/kg

What is being measured

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

  1. Evaluation of intubating conditions ad modum Fuchs-Buder et al

    Occurrence of excellent intubating conditions 2 minutes after start of administration of 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium or 2 µg/kg remifentanil, scored according to Fuchs-Buder et al. The intubating conditions will be classified as excellent if all qualities are excellent, good if all qualities are either excellent or good and poor if the presence of a single quality is listed as poor.

    Measured: 2 minutes after start of administration of trial medication

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Subjective side effects of laryngoscopy

    After 24 hours patients are asked about hoarseness and sore throat. The patients who experience either or both will be called 3 days postoperatively again. These two variables are assessed using a numeric ranking scale.

    Measured: 24 hours postoperatively and 3 days postoperatively

  2. Dose of ephedrine or dose of metaoxedrine administered

    If ephedrine and/or metaoxedrine is administered in the time period from induction until the patient is ready to be positioned for surgery it will be noted in the CRF. The amount administered will also be noted in the CRF. Changes in blood pressure are treated according to local guidelines.

    Measured: From induction until the patient is ready to be positioned for surgery, ranging from 5 minutes up to 1 hour.

  3. Intubating conditions according to IDS

    Another way of rating intubating conditions are by an intubating difficulty scale (Table 2) (20) 2 minutes after injection of rocuronium/remifentanil. The investigator performing the intubation will be handed the CRF where he/she will fill out Table 2. Furthermore, investigator will note if a stylet or video laryngoscope has been used.

    Measured: 2 minutes after start of administration of trial medication

Timeline

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

  1. First posted27 Feb 2020
  2. Study start11 Mar 2020
  3. Primary completion10 Dec 2020
  4. Study completion13 Dec 2020

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 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator
Enrolment
78 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04287426
Sponsor's protocol ID
H-19070343
Other IDs
2019-004121-25, 2019
Status last verified
Dec 2020
First submitted
27 Jan 2020
Last updated
22 Dec 2020
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Vested M, Sorensen AM, Bjerring C, Christensen RE, Dinesen F, Vang M, Gilvanoff A, Hansen TE, Nielsen T, Rasmussen LS. A blinded randomized study comparing intubating conditions after either rocuronium 0.6 mg.kg-1 or remifentanil 2 microg.kg-1 in elderly patients. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2021 Nov;65(10):1367-1373. doi: 10.1111/aas.13957. Epub 2021 Sep 5.

    PubMed 34310692

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg and Remifentanil 2 µg/kg in people with Neuromuscular Blockade and Intubation Complication, run by Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet at 2 sites in Denmark.

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 5 inclusion and 3 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 22 Dec 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Denmark. 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.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

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?

Evaluation of intubating conditions ad modum Fuchs-Buder et al (time frame: 2 minutes after start of administration of trial medication). 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 NCT04287426, which also lists 1 linked publication.

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 22 Dec 2020.

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