NCT04057872

Brief Summary

The incidence of sepsis (severe infection) has increased over the last four decades. Severe sepsis and septic shock are among the leading causes of death for patients admitted to critical care units with mortality ranging from 20-70% depending on totality of organ dysfunction. Outside of antibiotics and good bedside care, little has changed in the management of this life-threatening problem. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) involves the separation of plasma from whole blood. The removed plasma is 'exchanged or replaced' with either IV fluids, albumin, blood products or a combination thereof. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the safety of the TPE intervention protocol within 24 hours of study criteria being met. TPE is now a well-established program at the South Health Campus for neuro-muscular disorders. Since starting in May 2018, the investigators have performed over 150 runs making the SHC ICU one of the most experienced centers in Canada.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

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

Enrollment
17

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for phase_1

Timeline
Completed

Started Oct 2020

Longer than P75 for phase_1

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
completed

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

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

August 2, 2019

Completed
13 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 15, 2019

Completed
1.2 years until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

October 21, 2020

Completed
4.2 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 31, 2024

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 31, 2024

Completed
Last Updated

October 3, 2025

Status Verified

April 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

4.2 years

First QC Date

August 2, 2019

Last Update Submit

September 30, 2025

Conditions

Keywords

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE)Septic ShockSevere SepsisAlbuminFresh Frozen Plasma

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

  • Adverse Events

    Proportion of patients who experience at least 1 Adverse Event (AE)

    During course of ICU stay, could be up to 6 months

  • Discontinue TPE

    Proportion of patients who discontinue TPE administration due to an AE

    During course of ICU stay, could be up to 6 months

  • Enrollment Rate

    3\. Enrollment rate (patients screened, patients eligible, patients approached, patients enrolled)

    During course of ICU stay, could be up to 6 months

  • Protocol Completion

    Protocol completion (patients who complete study protocol)

    During course of ICU stay, could be up to 6 months

Secondary Outcomes (6)

  • Organ dysfunction

    During course of ICU stay, could be up to 6 months

  • Vasopressor support

    During course of ICU stay, could be up to 6 months

  • Ventilator support

    During course of ICU stay, could be up to 6 months

  • Days in ICU

    During course of ICU stay, could be up to 6 months

  • Mortality

    During course of ICU stay, could be up to 6 months

  • +1 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (1)

TPE in Septic Shock

EXPERIMENTAL

The patients will undergo a dosing trial to determine safety and the most effective dose

Procedure: Therapeutic plasma exchange

Interventions

The removed plasma is 'exchanged or replaced' with either IV fluids, albumin, and/or Fresh frozen plasma

TPE in Septic Shock

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

  • Exhibiting two of the four clinical signs of inflammation:
  • Core temperature \> 38oC or \< 36oC
  • Heart rate \> 90 beats per minute
  • Respiratory rate \> 20 breaths per minute, or PaCO2 \< 32 mmHg, or mechanical ventilation
  • White cell count \> 12 x 109/L or \< 4 x 109/L or \> 10% immature neutrophils
  • We will further identify the subset with a hospital mortality in excess of 40%:
  • \>30 mls/kg fluid resuscitation
  • Noradrenaline \>0.1 ug/kg/min to maintain MAP\> 65mmHg for at least 4 consecutive hours and present at initiation of TPE
  • Lactate \>2 mmol/l.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

Peter Lougheed Centre

Calgary, Alberta, T3M 1M4, Canada

Location

South Health Campus

Calgary, Alberta, T3M 1M4, Canada

Location

Related Publications (30)

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    PMID: 31567349BACKGROUND
  • Rhodes A, Evans LE, Alhazzani W, Levy MM, Antonelli M, Ferrer R, Kumar A, Sevransky JE, Sprung CL, Nunnally ME, Rochwerg B, Rubenfeld GD, Angus DC, Annane D, Beale RJ, Bellinghan GJ, Bernard GR, Chiche JD, Coopersmith C, De Backer DP, French CJ, Fujishima S, Gerlach H, Hidalgo JL, Hollenberg SM, Jones AE, Karnad DR, Kleinpell RM, Koh Y, Lisboa TC, Machado FR, Marini JJ, Marshall JC, Mazuski JE, McIntyre LA, McLean AS, Mehta S, Moreno RP, Myburgh J, Navalesi P, Nishida O, Osborn TM, Perner A, Plunkett CM, Ranieri M, Schorr CA, Seckel MA, Seymour CW, Shieh L, Shukri KA, Simpson SQ, Singer M, Thompson BT, Townsend SR, Van der Poll T, Vincent JL, Wiersinga WJ, Zimmerman JL, Dellinger RP. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock: 2016. Intensive Care Med. 2017 Mar;43(3):304-377. doi: 10.1007/s00134-017-4683-6. Epub 2017 Jan 18.

    PMID: 28101605BACKGROUND
  • van der Meche FG, Schmitz PI. A randomized trial comparing intravenous immune globulin and plasma exchange in Guillain-Barre syndrome. Dutch Guillain-Barre Study Group. N Engl J Med. 1992 Apr 23;326(17):1123-9. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199204233261705.

    PMID: 1552913BACKGROUND
  • Barth D, Nabavi Nouri M, Ng E, Nwe P, Bril V. Comparison of IVIg and PLEX in patients with myasthenia gravis. Neurology. 2011 Jun 7;76(23):2017-23. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31821e5505. Epub 2011 May 11.

    PMID: 21562253BACKGROUND
  • Mandawat A, Kaminski HJ, Cutter G, Katirji B, Alshekhlee A. Comparative analysis of therapeutic options used for myasthenia gravis. Ann Neurol. 2010 Dec;68(6):797-805. doi: 10.1002/ana.22139.

    PMID: 21061395BACKGROUND
  • Bonnan M, Cabre P. Plasma exchange in severe attacks of neuromyelitis optica. Mult Scler Int. 2012;2012:787630. doi: 10.1155/2012/787630. Epub 2012 Feb 12.

    PMID: 22474589BACKGROUND
  • DeSena AD, Noland DK, Matevosyan K, King K, Phillips L, Qureshi SS, Greenberg BM, Graves D. Intravenous methylprednisolone versus therapeutic plasma exchange for treatment of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibody encephalitis: A retrospective review. J Clin Apher. 2015 Aug;30(4):212-6. doi: 10.1002/jca.21363. Epub 2015 Feb 9.

    PMID: 25664728BACKGROUND
  • Rock GA, Shumak KH, Buskard NA, Blanchette VS, Kelton JG, Nair RC, Spasoff RA. Comparison of plasma exchange with plasma infusion in the treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Canadian Apheresis Study Group. N Engl J Med. 1991 Aug 8;325(6):393-7. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199108083250604.

    PMID: 2062330BACKGROUND
  • Sarode R, Bandarenko N, Brecher ME, Kiss JE, Marques MB, Szczepiorkowski ZM, Winters JL. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: 2012 American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) consensus conference on classification, diagnosis, management, and future research. J Clin Apher. 2014 Jun;29(3):148-67. doi: 10.1002/jca.21302. Epub 2013 Oct 17.

    PMID: 24136342BACKGROUND
  • Reeves JH. A review of plasma exchange in sepsis. Blood Purif. 2002;20(3):282-8. doi: 10.1159/000047021.

    PMID: 11867876BACKGROUND
  • Zhou F, Peng Z, Murugan R, Kellum JA. Blood purification and mortality in sepsis: a meta-analysis of randomized trials. Crit Care Med. 2013 Sep;41(9):2209-20. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0b013e31828cf412.

    PMID: 23860248BACKGROUND
  • Scharfman WB, Tillotson JR, Taft EG, Wright E. Plasmapheresis for meningococcemia with disseminated intravascular coagulation. N Engl J Med. 1979 May 31;300(22):1277-8. No abstract available.

    PMID: 431695BACKGROUND
  • Vain NE, Mazlumian JR, Swarner OW, Cha CC. Role of exchange transfusion in the treatment of severe septicemia. Pediatrics. 1980 Nov;66(5):693-7.

    PMID: 7432874BACKGROUND
  • Bjorvatn B, Bjertnaes L, Fadnes HO, Flaegstad T, Gutteberg TJ, Kristiansen BE, Pape J, Rekvig OP, Osterud B, Aanderud L. Meningococcal septicaemia treated with combined plasmapheresis and leucapheresis or with blood exchange. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1984 Feb 11;288(6415):439-41. doi: 10.1136/bmj.288.6415.439.

    PMID: 6419956BACKGROUND
  • Lercari G, Paganini G, Malfanti L, Rolla D, Machi AM, Rizzo F, Cannella G, Valbonesi M. Apheresis for severe malaria complicated by cerebral malaria, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute renal failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. J Clin Apher. 1992;7(2):93-6. doi: 10.1002/jca.2920070211.

    PMID: 1429495BACKGROUND
  • Gardlund B, Sjolin J, Nilsson A, Roll M, Wickerts CJ, Wikstrom B, Wretlind B. Plasmapheresis in the treatment of primary septic shock in humans. Scand J Infect Dis. 1993;25(6):757-61. doi: 10.3109/00365549309008575.

    PMID: 8052817BACKGROUND
  • Busund R, Koukline V, Utrobin U, Nedashkovsky E. Plasmapheresis in severe sepsis and septic shock: a prospective, randomised, controlled trial. Intensive Care Med. 2002 Oct;28(10):1434-9. doi: 10.1007/s00134-002-1410-7. Epub 2002 Jul 23.

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  • Long EJ, Taylor A, Delzoppo C, Shann F, Pearson G, Buckley D, Butt W. A randomised controlled trial of plasma filtration in severe paediatric sepsis. Crit Care Resusc. 2013 Sep;15(3):198-204.

    PMID: 23944206BACKGROUND
  • Nguyen TC, Han YY, Kiss JE, Hall MW, Hassett AC, Jaffe R, Orr RA, Janosky J, Carcillo JA. Intensive plasma exchange increases a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin motifs-13 activity and reverses organ dysfunction in children with thrombocytopenia-associated multiple organ failure. Crit Care Med. 2008 Oct;36(10):2878-87. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0b013e318186aa49.

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  • Reeves JH, Butt WW, Shann F, Layton JE, Stewart A, Waring PM, Presneill JJ. Continuous plasmafiltration in sepsis syndrome. Plasmafiltration in Sepsis Study Group. Crit Care Med. 1999 Oct;27(10):2096-104. doi: 10.1097/00003246-199910000-00003.

    PMID: 10548188BACKGROUND
  • Knaup H, Stahl K, Schmidt BMW, Idowu TO, Busch M, Wiesner O, Welte T, Haller H, Kielstein JT, Hoeper MM, David S. Early therapeutic plasma exchange in septic shock: a prospective open-label nonrandomized pilot study focusing on safety, hemodynamics, vascular barrier function, and biologic markers. Crit Care. 2018 Oct 30;22(1):285. doi: 10.1186/s13054-018-2220-9.

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  • Szczepiorkowski ZM, Winters JL, Bandarenko N, Kim HC, Linenberger ML, Marques MB, Sarode R, Schwartz J, Weinstein R, Shaz BH; Apheresis Applications Committee of the American Society for Apheresis. Guidelines on the use of therapeutic apheresis in clinical practice--evidence-based approach from the Apheresis Applications Committee of the American Society for Apheresis. J Clin Apher. 2010;25(3):83-177. doi: 10.1002/jca.20240.

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MeSH Terms

Conditions

Shock, SepticSepsis

Interventions

Plasma Exchange

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

InfectionsSystemic Inflammatory Response SyndromeInflammationPathologic ProcessesPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsShock

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Blood TransfusionBiological TherapyTherapeuticsPlasmapheresisBlood Component RemovalSorption DetoxificationExtracorporeal CirculationSurgical Procedures, Operative

Study Officials

  • George F Alvarez, MD

    Alberta Health services

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 1
Allocation
NA
Masking
NONE
Purpose
OTHER
Intervention Model
SINGLE GROUP
Model Details: Consecutive Adults patients with vasoplegic septic shock with at least 2 organ dysfunction will receive TPE
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Intensivist, Department of Critical Care Medicine

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

August 2, 2019

First Posted

August 15, 2019

Study Start

October 21, 2020

Primary Completion

December 31, 2024

Study Completion

December 31, 2024

Last Updated

October 3, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

Once the results have been analyzed and published the de-identified data will be made available to other researchers

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, CSR
Time Frame
The data will be made available once published. It will be made available for 5 years as per University of Calgary data storage protocol.

Locations