Gluconeogenesis Rates and Its Precursors in Pediatric Sepsis

April 26, 2016 updated by: Leticia Castillo, The Cleveland Clinic

Gluconeogenesis Rates and Its Source in Critically Ill Adolescents

Critically ill children have abnormal utilization of nutrients such as glucose, lipids and protein. Often sick children have increased glucose concentrations in blood. However, the origin of the high glucose has not been determined in these populations. There is a close interrelationship between protein and energy metabolism. An increase in the energy supply will not promote nitrogen retention unless the amino acid supply is adequate, and conversely, an increased amino acid supply will be useless if energy is limiting, hence the importance of adequate protein and energy intake. Our study aims to investigate the protein-energy interactions in critically ill septic children and adolescents with the objective to eventually provide the best nutritional support for these patients.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

This is an observational study, aimed at exploring:

i) gluconeogenesis rates ii) sources of gluconeogenesis and pyruvate cycling, and iii) protein kinetics in critically ill children and adolescents, and its differences by age group, as well as in comparison to healthy adolescents. The study size will include 45 critically ill septic, pediatric patients (22 children at 5-12 years of age and 23 adolescents' at 13-19 years of age), male and females admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Children's Medical Center, Dallas. The minimal subject's weight will be 17kg. Additionally, 30 healthy adolescents matched by age, gender, BMI and Tanner stage will be studied at the Clinical Translational Research Center at Zale Lipshy Hospital, to serve as healthy adolescent controls. The number of subjects includes an expected drop out rate of about 20%, in order to obtain 18 patients with complete data in each group. Patients will receive nutritional support as per standard care. This study will yield important knowledge and may lead in the future to changes in the current practice on the management of critically ill pediatric patients in the PICU.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

19

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Texas
      • Dallas, Texas, United States, 75390
        • UT Southwestern Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

5 years to 19 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Septic pediatric subjects: A total of 45 critically ill children age 5-19 years with diagnosis of sepsis, as defined by the International Sepsis Consensus Conference.

Healthy subjects: A total of 30 healthy adolescents 13-19 years matched for age, gender, Tanner and BMI to serve as controls. A Dexa scan will be obtained to determine lean body mass.

Description

Septic Pediatric Patients:

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Children age 5-19 years.
  2. Diagnosis of severe sepsis diagnosed as clinical sepsis syndrome (requires two of the following criteria):

    • Source of infection
    • Fever or Hypothermia
    • Leukocytosis or Leucopenia
    • Poor organ perfusion (such as delayed capillary refill or decreased urine output or hypotension)
    • Bacteremic sepsis demonstrated by positive blood culture
  3. Indwelling central and/or arterial venous access as per clinical indication.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Patients with metabolic diseases (i.e.: urea cycle disorders, cystinuria, Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, etc.).
  2. Pregnancy.
  3. Primary liver failure.

Healthy Children:

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age 13-19 years.
  2. Evidence of health as assessed by physical exam, and laboratory tests, including: Hematocrit no less than 36% for males and no less than 37% for females, white blood cell count from 5-10,000.
  3. Chemistries within normal range, normal urine analysis, and fasting plasma glucose level no less than 60 or greater than 104 mg/dL.
  4. Lean Children with BMI of 18-24.
  5. Obese Children with BMI of 30 or greater.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Tobacco use.
  2. Pregnancy.
  3. Taking any prescription medication that affects amino acid metabolism, i.e., glucocorticoids.
  4. History of acute or chronic illness.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Critically Ill Septic Pediatric Patients
Age 5-12 years; weight ≥ 17kg and Age 13-19 years, males and females
Healthy Adolescents
Age 13-19 years, males and females

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Gluconeogenesis Rates
Time Frame: 24 hours
Rates of gluconeogenesis from glycerol, lactate/amino acids in relation to protein synthesis, breakdown and balance, and pyruvate cycling among different age groups (children vs. adolescents) and in comparison with healthy adolescents.
24 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Metabolic Source for Gluconeogenesis
Time Frame: 24 hours during study and overall ICU admission

Rates of gluconeogenesis from glycerol, lactate/amino acids in relation to severity of the disease, as determined by,

  • PRISM Score III, which is predictor of mortality in pediatric critically ill patients,
  • Degree of inflammation as assessed by plasma C reactive protein,
  • Highest inotrope doses and length of administration,
  • Ventilator-free days, ICU length of stay and length of hospital stay.
24 hours during study and overall ICU admission

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Length of ICU stay
Time Frame: 24 hours
24 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Leticia Castillo, MD, UT Southwestern Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

March 1, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 27, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 27, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

July 2, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

April 28, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 26, 2016

Last Verified

April 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • STU-072010-051

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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