NCT04020263

Brief Summary

Cardiogenic shock (CS) mortality remains high (40%). Despite their frequent use, few clinical outcome data are available to guide the initial selection of vasoactive drug therapies in patients with CS. Based on experts' opinions, the combination of norepinephrine-dobutamine is generally recommended as a first line strategy. Inotropic agents increase myocardial contractility, thereby increasing cardiac output. Dobutamine is commonly recommended to be the inotropic agent of choice and levosimendan is generally used following dobutamine failure. It may represent an ideal agent in cardiogenic shock, since it improves myocardial contractility without increasing cAMP or calcium concentration. At present, there are no convincing data to support a specific inotropic agent in patients with cardiogenic shock. Our hypothesis is that the early use of levosimendan, by enabling the discontinuation of dobutamine, would accelerate the resolution of signs of low cardiac output and facilitate myocardial recovery.

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
610

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for phase_3

Timeline
20mo left

Started Jul 2023

Longer than P75 for phase_3

Geographic Reach
1 country

28 active sites

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress63%
Jul 2023Jan 2028

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

June 28, 2019

Completed
18 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 16, 2019

Completed
4 years until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

July 3, 2023

Completed
3.6 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

February 3, 2027

Expected
11 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

January 3, 2028

Last Updated

August 5, 2025

Status Verified

July 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

3.6 years

First QC Date

June 28, 2019

Last Update Submit

July 31, 2025

Conditions

Keywords

heart failurelevosimendan

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

  • Proportion of All-cause mortality

    Composite endpoint (i.e. All-cause Mortality and/or Extra Corporel Life Support implantation and/or dialysis)

    Day 30 following randomization

  • Proportion of Extra Corporel Life Support implantation

    Composite endpoint (i.e. All-cause Mortality and/or Extra Corporel Life Support implantation and/or dialysis)

    Day 30 following randomization

  • Proportion of Dialysis

    Composite endpoint (i.e. All-cause Mortality and/or Extra Corporel Life Support implantation and/or dialysis)

    Day 30 following randomization

Secondary Outcomes (41)

  • Time to death

    Day 90

  • Time to escalation to permanent left ventricular assist device or cardiac transplantation

    Day 90

  • Time to dialysis

    Day 90

  • Time to ECLS requirement

    Day 90

  • number of cardiovascular events

    Day 90

  • +36 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Levosimendan

EXPERIMENTAL

Experimental group: patients with cardiogenic shock treated with levosimendan in addition to the conventional strategy.

Drug: Levosimendan 2.5 MG/ML Injectable Solution

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Control group: Patients with cardiogenic shock treated with placebo (Cernevit/Soluvit) in addition to the conventional strategy.

Drug: Placebo

Interventions

Levosimendan will be diluted with Glucose G5%. The reconstitution of levosimendan will be performed, as close as possible to the start of the infusion. A continuous infusion of levosimendan will be administered over 24 h without bolus, started at a rate of 0.1 μg per kilogram of body weight per minute and, in both the persistence of hypoperfusion signs and in the absence of rate-limiting side effects, will be increased after 2 to 4 hours to a maximum of 0.2 μg per kilogram per minute for a further 20 to 22 hours.

Levosimendan

Placebo will be diluted with Glucose G5%. The reconstitution of Placebo will be performed, as close as possible to the start of the infusion. A continuous infusion of Placebo will be administered over 24 h without bolus, started at a rate of 0.1 μg per kilogram of body weight per minute and, in both the persistence of hypoperfusion signs and in the absence of rate-limiting side effects, will be increased after 2 to 4 hours to a maximum of 0.2 μg per kilogram per minute for a further 20 to 22 hours.

Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Adult patient ≥ 18 years with cardiogenic shock defined by:
  • Adequate intravascular volume

You may not qualify if:

  • Myocardial sideration after cardiac arrest of non-cardiac etiology
  • Immediate or anticipated (within 6 hours) indication of Extra Corporel Life Support
  • Use of VA-ECMO or IMPELLA or LVAD;
  • Chronic renal failure requiring hemodialysis
  • Cardiotoxic poisoning
  • Septic cardiomyopathy
  • Previous levosimendan administration within 15 days
  • Cardiac arrest with non-shockable rhythm;
  • No flow time higher \> 3 minutes;
  • Cardiac arrest with unknown no flow duration;
  • Total duration of cardiac arrest (no flow plus low flow) \> 45 minutes;
  • Cerebral deficit with fixed dilated pupils
  • Patient moribund on the day of enrollment
  • Irreversible neurological pathology
  • Known hypersensitivity to levosimendan or placebo, or one of its excipients
  • +4 more criteria

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (28)

CHRU Strasbourg -Nouvel Hôpital Civil

Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, 67091, France

RECRUITING

AP-HM, Nord Hospital, Marseille

Marseille, Bouches du Rhône, 13015, France

RECRUITING

CHU Caen

Caen, Calvados, 14000, France

NOT YET RECRUITING

CHU Dijon

Dijon, Côte d'Or, 21000, France

RECRUITING

CHU Besançon Jean Minjoz Hospital

Besançon, Doubs, 25000, France

RECRUITING

CHU Nîmes, Carémeau Hospital

Nîmes, Gard, 30029, France

RECRUITING

CHU Bordeaux - Hopital haut-leveque

Bordeaux, Gironde, 33600, France

RECRUITING

CHU de Toulouse

Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, 31059, France

RECRUITING

CHU Limoges, Dupuytren Hospital

Limoges, Haute-Vienne, 87000, France

RECRUITING

CHU Montpellier, Arnaud de Villeneuve Hospital

Montpellier, Hérault, 34090, France

RECRUITING

CHU Rennes, Pontchaillou Hospital

Rennes, Ille et Vilaine, 35000, France

RECRUITING

CHU Grenoble, Michallon Hospital

La Tronche, Isère, 38043, France

RECRUITING

CHU Nantes

Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, 44000, France

RECRUITING

CHR Metz-Thionville, Mercy Hospital

Ars-Laquenexy, Moselle, 57245, France

RECRUITING

CHRU Lille, Cœur Poumon Institute

Lille, Nord, 59000, France

RECRUITING

APHP, La Pitié Salpêtrière (medical intensive care unit)

Paris, Paris, 75013, France

RECRUITING

Hospices Civils de Lyon - Louis Pradel Hospital

Bron, Rhône, 69500, France

RECRUITING

APHP, Henri Mondor Hospital

Créteil, Val de Marne, 94010, France

RECRUITING

CH Henri Duffaut, Avignon

Avignon, Vaucluse, 84000, France

NOT YET RECRUITING

CHU Bordeaux

Bordeaux, France

RECRUITING

HENRI MONDOR -réanimation

Créteil, France

NOT YET RECRUITING

Chu Dijon

Dijon, France

RECRUITING

CHU Grenoble -USIC

La Tronche, 38700, France

RECRUITING

AP-HM CHU la Timone

Marseille, 13385, France

RECRUITING

CHU Montpellier -hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve

Montpellier, 34295, France

RECRUITING

Chu Rouen

Rouen, France

RECRUITING

HU Strasbourg USIC

Strasbourg, France

NOT YET RECRUITING

CHRU Nancy

Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Shock, CardiogenicHeart Failure

Interventions

Simendan

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Myocardial InfarctionMyocardial IschemiaHeart DiseasesCardiovascular DiseasesVascular DiseasesInfarctionIschemiaPathologic ProcessesPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsNecrosisShock

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

HydrazonesHydrazinesOrganic ChemicalsPyridazinesHeterocyclic Compounds, 1-RingHeterocyclic Compounds

Study Officials

  • Clément DELMAS, Dr

    University Hospital, Toulouse

    STUDY CHAIR
  • Nicolas GIRERD, Pr

    CHRU Nancy

    STUDY CHAIR
  • Patrick ROSSIGNOL, Pr

    CHRU Nancy

    STUDY CHAIR

Central Study Contacts

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 3
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
TRIPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR
Masking Details
The study will be double-blinded. Investigator masking to group assignment after randomization will be guaranteed by use of a placebo.
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Model Details: The LevoHeartShock trial is a prospective, double-blind, multicenter, randomized controlled trial comparing the early initiation of levosimendan versus placebo in patients with cardiogenic shock treated with vasopressor therapy according to a conventional strategy of inotrope use (dobutamine as first line agent).
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Investigator coordonnator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

June 28, 2019

First Posted

July 16, 2019

Study Start

July 3, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

February 3, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 3, 2028

Last Updated

August 5, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Locations