Albumin vs. Plasma for PEdiAtric pRiming Trial (APPEAR)

August 29, 2016 updated by: Marco Ranucci, IRCCS Policlinico S. Donato
This is a randomized controlled trial that compares two different priming composition (albumin vs. fresh frozen plasma) for extracorporeal circulation of pediatric patients under 10 kg of weight. The two approaches are both employed at the moment but there is actually no evidence on the superiority of one over the other. This study is aimed to test the hypothesis that Albumin is superior to fresh frozen plasma in terms of minor bleeding and transfusional requirements.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Extracorporeal circulation (ECC) in neonates and infants undergoing cardiac surgery for the correction or palliation of cardiac defects is characterized by temperature variation, activation of coagulation and inflammatory cascades, hemodilution.

An excessive dilution of circulating mass determines a variation in colloid-oncotic pressure (COP) that, together with hydrostatic pressure, induces liquids exchange between interstitial space and plasma. COP variation together with inflammatory response due to extracorporeal circulation and temperature variation is the main determinant of interstitial and pulmonary edema occurrence. Intravascular albumin is responsible for 80% for the COP. Golab et al. randomized a population of neonates and infants undergoing to pediatric cardiac surgery procedures in order to reach two different targets of COP through administration of different albumin amounts. His results didn't show significant differences for primary and secondary endpoints except for postoperative ventilation duration.

Trials on adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery haven't showed differences in bleeding when varying colloid solution employed. Albumin is preferred to artificial colloids due to reduced risk of anaphylactic reactions and for its capacity to maintain COP.

Hemodilution is associated to a reduction in hematocrit, platelet count, fibrinogen and other coagulation factor concentration. Solutions employed for ECC (Extracorporeal Circulation) circuits priming also contain components that could impair hemostasis.

In order to reduce the negative effects on the coagulation, many centers for pediatric surgery employ fresh frozen plasma (FFP) for priming solution. Oliver et al randomized a population of 51 cardiopathic, acyanotic children under 10 kg of weight to receive either albumin or FFP as ECC priming. The authors showed a reduction of postoperative bleeding in the group receiving FFP. No significant differences were detected in postoperative coagulation tests. Other studies with small cohorts weren't able to detect significant differences between the two regimens applied by Oliver and colleagues.

Currently the patients receiving blood priming are treated with either FFP or albumin in order to maintain a correct COP. Comparative studies are very limited by small populations and haven't yet provided definitive conclusions about eventual superiority of one regimen over another.

This is a randomized controlled trial that compares the employment of 5% Albumin (ALB group) versus Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP group) for priming as per standard protocol of extracorporeal circulation procedure. No modifications to the normal clinical management of the patient are planned. The primary endpoint is to reduce postoperative bleeding (registered as ml/kg in the first 12 postoperative hours). The secondary endpoints are to reduce transfusional requirements for all the blood products (packed red cells, fresh frozen plasma and platelets registered as ml/kg from the beginning of the extracorporeal circulation for up to 48 hours from the termination of the surgery), ventilation support and hospital stay duration. Safety endpoint is represented by the percentage of thromboembolic complications (stroke, peripheric, pulmonary and mesenteric thromboembolisms). Both the treatments employed in this trial are to be considered standard.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

80

Phase

  • Phase 4

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

    • MI
      • San Donato Milanese, MI, Italy, 20097
        • IRCCS San Donato

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

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • weight under 10 kg
  • cardiovascular surgery procedure with extracorporeal circulation
  • need for hematic priming solution
  • elective surgery
  • informed consent signed

Exclusion Criteria:

  • congenital disorders of coagulation system
  • emergency surgery

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

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Albumin
5% Albumin to be added to the priming solution composed of concentrated red cells to reach a target of 28-30% hematocrit and albumin to reach the standard volume administered to these patients (400 ml)
Albumin 5% added to blood priming solution
Other Names:
  • Human Albumin
  • Albumina
Active Comparator: Fresh Frozen Plasma
Fresh Frozen Plasma to be added to the priming solution composed of concentrated red cells to reach a target of 28-30% hematocrit and plasma to reach the standard volume administered to these patients (400 ml)
Fresh Frozen Plasma added to blood priming solution

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Volume of postoperative bleeding
Time Frame: 24 hours
Postoperative bleeding in ml/kg, as measured by chest drainage
24 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of units of blood components transfused
Time Frame: 48 hours
All kind of blood products (packed red cells, fresh frozen plasma, platelet concentrate) transfused from the extracorporeal circulation beginning
48 hours
Hours on artificial ventilation
Time Frame: hours until extubation, an average of 72 hours
Artificial ventilation duration from the ICU admission till extubation
hours until extubation, an average of 72 hours
Days of hospital stay
Time Frame: days until discharge, an average of 10 days
Hospital stay duration from ICU admission till discharge
days until discharge, an average of 10 days
Thromboembolic complications
Time Frame: Postoperative hospital stay until discharge, an average of 10 days
All kind of thromboembolic complication (peripheric, pulmonary, mesenteric) from ICU admission till discharge from the hospital
Postoperative hospital stay until discharge, an average of 10 days

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Marco Ranucci, MD, FESC, IRCCS Policlinico S. Donato

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

January 1, 2015

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2016

Study Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 15, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 11, 2016

First Posted (Estimate)

April 14, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

August 30, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 29, 2016

Last Verified

August 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • APPEAR

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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