NCT05354778

Brief Summary

The use of corticosteroids in patients with severe community pneumonia, bacterial infection which kills lots of patients around the world, reduces the mortality of this infection. However, there are no studies with this type of drug regarding hospital-acquired pneumonia. This is the first multicenter randomized trial to test hydrocortisone plus standard therapy in critical care patients with nosocomial pneumonia. This intervention is inexpensive and may improve the outcome of those patients, besides having an acceptable side effects profile.

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

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

Enrollment
180

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
9mo left

Started Oct 2022

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

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 Progress83%
Oct 2022Feb 2027

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

April 20, 2022

Completed
9 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

April 29, 2022

Completed
6 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

October 16, 2022

Completed
4.1 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 1, 2026

Expected
2 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

February 1, 2027

Last Updated

November 25, 2025

Status Verified

November 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

4.1 years

First QC Date

April 20, 2022

Last Update Submit

November 22, 2025

Conditions

Keywords

HydrocortisoneIntensive Care UnitPneumoniaSteroidsCritical Care

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Early Clinical Failure

    Composite outcome: Death OR Respiratory worsening OR Cardiovascular worsening

    Between days 0 and 7 for death; between days 3 and 7 for respiratory or cardiovascular worsening

Secondary Outcomes (13)

  • Survival

    Days 7 and 28

  • Respiratory failure

    7 days

  • Septic shock

    7 days

  • Time of mechanical ventilation

    7 days

  • Ventilator parameters (1)

    7 days

  • +8 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Normal saline 100mL every 8 hours for 5 days or until patient dies or is discharged from the intensive care unit

Drug: Placebo

Hydrocortisone

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Hydrocortisone 100mg + normal saline 100mL every 8 hours for 5 days or until patient dies or is discharged from the intensive care unit

Drug: Hydrocortisone

Interventions

Corticosteroid

Also known as: Solu-CORTEF
Hydrocortisone

Normal saline only

Also known as: NS
Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

  • years of age or older
  • Suspected ou confirmed case of bacterial nosocomial pneumonia (including ventilator-associated pneumonia)
  • Intensive Care Unit stay
  • Signed consent form (by the patient or a legal guardian)

You may not qualify if:

  • Women who are pregnant, have recently given birth or are breastfeeding
  • Patients who are moribund or do not have a treatment perspective
  • Patients with community acquired pneumonia
  • Patients with other types of pneumonia (viral - including COVID-19, fungal etc.)
  • Those with pulmonary infiltrates in chest image which are not compatible with bacterial pneumonia
  • Patients with adrenal insufficiency
  • Patients who have a condition that demands the use of corticosteroids (acute or chronic)
  • Patients allergic to hydrocortisone
  • Patients with refractory septic shock (those receiving more than 0,5mcg/kg/min of norepinephrine)

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Hospital do Servidor Publico Estadual

São Paulo, Sao Paulo SP, 04039-901, Brazil

RECRUITING

Related Publications (21)

  • Singer M, Deutschman CS, Seymour CW, Shankar-Hari M, Annane D, Bauer M, Bellomo R, Bernard GR, Chiche JD, Coopersmith CM, Hotchkiss RS, Levy MM, Marshall JC, Martin GS, Opal SM, Rubenfeld GD, van der Poll T, Vincent JL, Angus DC. The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3). JAMA. 2016 Feb 23;315(8):801-10. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.0287.

    PMID: 26903338BACKGROUND
  • Annane D, Sebille V, Charpentier C, Bollaert PE, Francois B, Korach JM, Capellier G, Cohen Y, Azoulay E, Troche G, Chaumet-Riffaud P, Bellissant E. Effect of treatment with low doses of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone on mortality in patients with septic shock. JAMA. 2002 Aug 21;288(7):862-71. doi: 10.1001/jama.288.7.862.

    PMID: 12186604BACKGROUND
  • Sprung CL, Annane D, Keh D, Moreno R, Singer M, Freivogel K, Weiss YG, Benbenishty J, Kalenka A, Forst H, Laterre PF, Reinhart K, Cuthbertson BH, Payen D, Briegel J; CORTICUS Study Group. Hydrocortisone therapy for patients with septic shock. N Engl J Med. 2008 Jan 10;358(2):111-24. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa071366.

    PMID: 18184957BACKGROUND
  • Annane D, Renault A, Brun-Buisson C, Megarbane B, Quenot JP, Siami S, Cariou A, Forceville X, Schwebel C, Martin C, Timsit JF, Misset B, Ali Benali M, Colin G, Souweine B, Asehnoune K, Mercier E, Chimot L, Charpentier C, Francois B, Boulain T, Petitpas F, Constantin JM, Dhonneur G, Baudin F, Combes A, Bohe J, Loriferne JF, Amathieu R, Cook F, Slama M, Leroy O, Capellier G, Dargent A, Hissem T, Maxime V, Bellissant E; CRICS-TRIGGERSEP Network. Hydrocortisone plus Fludrocortisone for Adults with Septic Shock. N Engl J Med. 2018 Mar 1;378(9):809-818. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1705716.

    PMID: 29490185BACKGROUND
  • Annane D, Pastores SM, Rochwerg B, Arlt W, Balk RA, Beishuizen A, Briegel J, Carcillo J, Christ-Crain M, Cooper MS, Marik PE, Umberto Meduri G, Olsen KM, Rodgers SC, Russell JA, Van den Berghe G. Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Critical Illness-Related Corticosteroid Insufficiency (CIRCI) in Critically Ill Patients (Part I): Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) 2017. Crit Care Med. 2017 Dec;45(12):2078-2088. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000002737.

    PMID: 28938253BACKGROUND
  • RECOVERY Collaborative Group; Horby P, Lim WS, Emberson JR, Mafham M, Bell JL, Linsell L, Staplin N, Brightling C, Ustianowski A, Elmahi E, Prudon B, Green C, Felton T, Chadwick D, Rege K, Fegan C, Chappell LC, Faust SN, Jaki T, Jeffery K, Montgomery A, Rowan K, Juszczak E, Baillie JK, Haynes R, Landray MJ. Dexamethasone in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2021 Feb 25;384(8):693-704. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2021436. Epub 2020 Jul 17.

    PMID: 32678530BACKGROUND
  • WHO Rapid Evidence Appraisal for COVID-19 Therapies (REACT) Working Group; Sterne JAC, Murthy S, Diaz JV, Slutsky AS, Villar J, Angus DC, Annane D, Azevedo LCP, Berwanger O, Cavalcanti AB, Dequin PF, Du B, Emberson J, Fisher D, Giraudeau B, Gordon AC, Granholm A, Green C, Haynes R, Heming N, Higgins JPT, Horby P, Juni P, Landray MJ, Le Gouge A, Leclerc M, Lim WS, Machado FR, McArthur C, Meziani F, Moller MH, Perner A, Petersen MW, Savovic J, Tomazini B, Veiga VC, Webb S, Marshall JC. Association Between Administration of Systemic Corticosteroids and Mortality Among Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19: A Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2020 Oct 6;324(13):1330-1341. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.17023.

    PMID: 32876694BACKGROUND
  • Stern A, Skalsky K, Avni T, Carrara E, Leibovici L, Paul M. Corticosteroids for pneumonia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Dec 13;12(12):CD007720. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007720.pub3.

    PMID: 29236286BACKGROUND
  • Blum CA, Nigro N, Briel M, Schuetz P, Ullmer E, Suter-Widmer I, Winzeler B, Bingisser R, Elsaesser H, Drozdov D, Arici B, Urwyler SA, Refardt J, Tarr P, Wirz S, Thomann R, Baumgartner C, Duplain H, Burki D, Zimmerli W, Rodondi N, Mueller B, Christ-Crain M. Adjunct prednisone therapy for patients with community-acquired pneumonia: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2015 Apr 18;385(9977):1511-8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)62447-8. Epub 2015 Jan 19.

    PMID: 25608756BACKGROUND
  • Confalonieri M, Urbino R, Potena A, Piattella M, Parigi P, Puccio G, Della Porta R, Giorgio C, Blasi F, Umberger R, Meduri GU. Hydrocortisone infusion for severe community-acquired pneumonia: a preliminary randomized study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2005 Feb 1;171(3):242-8. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200406-808OC. Epub 2004 Nov 19.

    PMID: 15557131BACKGROUND
  • Harris LK, Crannage AJ. Corticosteroids in Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Review of Current Literature. J Pharm Technol. 2021 Jun;37(3):152-160. doi: 10.1177/8755122521995587. Epub 2021 Feb 22.

    PMID: 34752553BACKGROUND
  • Fernandez-Serrano S, Dorca J, Garcia-Vidal C, Fernandez-Sabe N, Carratala J, Fernandez-Aguera A, Corominas M, Padrones S, Gudiol F, Manresa F. Effect of corticosteroids on the clinical course of community-acquired pneumonia: a randomized controlled trial. Crit Care. 2011 Mar 15;15(2):R96. doi: 10.1186/cc10103.

    PMID: 21406101BACKGROUND
  • Meijvis SC, Hardeman H, Remmelts HH, Heijligenberg R, Rijkers GT, van Velzen-Blad H, Voorn GP, van de Garde EM, Endeman H, Grutters JC, Bos WJ, Biesma DH. Dexamethasone and length of hospital stay in patients with community-acquired pneumonia: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2011 Jun 11;377(9782):2023-30. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60607-7. Epub 2011 Jun 1.

    PMID: 21636122BACKGROUND
  • Mikami K, Suzuki M, Kitagawa H, Kawakami M, Hirota N, Yamaguchi H, Narumoto O, Kichikawa Y, Kawai M, Tashimo H, Arai H, Horiuchi T, Sakamoto Y. Efficacy of corticosteroids in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia requiring hospitalization. Lung. 2007 Sep-Oct;185(5):249-255. doi: 10.1007/s00408-007-9020-3. Epub 2007 Aug 21.

    PMID: 17710485BACKGROUND
  • Snijders D, Daniels JM, de Graaff CS, van der Werf TS, Boersma WG. Efficacy of corticosteroids in community-acquired pneumonia: a randomized double-blinded clinical trial. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2010 May 1;181(9):975-82. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200905-0808OC. Epub 2010 Feb 4.

    PMID: 20133929BACKGROUND
  • Torres A, Sibila O, Ferrer M, Polverino E, Menendez R, Mensa J, Gabarrus A, Sellares J, Restrepo MI, Anzueto A, Niederman MS, Agusti C. Effect of corticosteroids on treatment failure among hospitalized patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia and high inflammatory response: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2015 Feb 17;313(7):677-86. doi: 10.1001/jama.2015.88.

    PMID: 25688779BACKGROUND
  • Modi AR, Kovacs CS. Hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia: Diagnosis, management, and prevention. Cleve Clin J Med. 2020 Oct 1;87(10):633-639. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.87a.19117.

    PMID: 33004324BACKGROUND
  • Torres A, Niederman MS, Chastre J, Ewig S, Fernandez-Vandellos P, Hanberger H, Kollef M, Li Bassi G, Luna CM, Martin-Loeches I, Paiva JA, Read RC, Rigau D, Timsit JF, Welte T, Wunderink R. International ERS/ESICM/ESCMID/ALAT guidelines for the management of hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia: Guidelines for the management of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP)/ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) and Asociacion Latinoamericana del Torax (ALAT). Eur Respir J. 2017 Sep 10;50(3):1700582. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00582-2017. Print 2017 Sep.

    PMID: 28890434BACKGROUND
  • Papazian L, Klompas M, Luyt CE. Ventilator-associated pneumonia in adults: a narrative review. Intensive Care Med. 2020 May;46(5):888-906. doi: 10.1007/s00134-020-05980-0. Epub 2020 Mar 10.

    PMID: 32157357BACKGROUND
  • Metersky ML, Wang Y, Klompas M, Eckenrode S, Bakullari A, Eldridge N. Trend in Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Rates Between 2005 and 2013. JAMA. 2016 Dec 13;316(22):2427-2429. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.16226. No abstract available.

    PMID: 27835709BACKGROUND
  • Dequin PF, Meziani F, Quenot JP, Kamel T, Ricard JD, Badie J, Reignier J, Heming N, Plantefeve G, Souweine B, Voiriot G, Colin G, Frat JP, Mira JP, Barbarot N, Francois B, Louis G, Gibot S, Guitton C, Giacardi C, Hraiech S, Vimeux S, L'Her E, Faure H, Herbrecht JE, Bouisse C, Joret A, Terzi N, Gacouin A, Quentin C, Jourdain M, Leclerc M, Coffre C, Bourgoin H, Lengelle C, Caille-Fenerol C, Giraudeau B, Le Gouge A; CRICS-TriGGERSep Network. Hydrocortisone in Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia. N Engl J Med. 2023 May 25;388(21):1931-1941. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2215145. Epub 2023 Mar 21.

    PMID: 36942789BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Healthcare-Associated PneumoniaPneumonia, Ventilator-AssociatedPneumonia

Interventions

Hydrocortisonehydrocortisone hemisuccinate

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cross InfectionInfectionsRespiratory Tract InfectionsLung DiseasesRespiratory Tract DiseasesIatrogenic DiseaseDisease AttributesPathologic ProcessesPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

PregnenedionesPregnenesPregnanesSteroidsFused-Ring CompoundsPolycyclic Compounds11-HydroxycorticosteroidsHydroxycorticosteroidsAdrenal Cortex HormonesHormonesHormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists17-Hydroxycorticosteroids

Study Officials

  • João Manoel Silva Junior, MD

    Instituto de Assistencia Medica ao Servidor Publico Estadual, Sao Paulo

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Dante Raglione, MD

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Model Details: This is a multicenter, randomized, open-label clinical trial with two parallel groups: hydrocortisone and placebo. Data analyzed as "intention-to-treat".
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

April 20, 2022

First Posted

April 29, 2022

Study Start

October 16, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

February 1, 2027

Last Updated

November 25, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Locations