aSAH Treatment Based on Intraventricular ICP Monitoring: A Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized and Controlled Trial (ASTIM)

September 23, 2026 updated by: Wei Zhu, Huashan Hospital

Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Treatment Based on Intraventricular Intracranial Pressure Monitoring: A Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized and Controlled Trial

ASTIM is a multicenter, prospective, randomised, blinded end-point assessed trial, to investigate the efficacy and safety of treatment based on intracranial pressure monitoring in improving the prognosis of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a severe type of cerebral hemorrhage, characterized by high mortality and disability rates. Approximately 85% of SAH cases are caused by ruptured intracranial aneurysms and are classified as aneurysmal SAH (aSAH). Improving the prognosis of patients with aSAH has become a pressing and significant issue.

The rupture of an aneurysm results in a significant amount of blood entering the subarachnoid space, triggering an increase in intracranial pressure (ICP). Elevated ICP can impair cerebral perfusion and contribute to secondary brain injury and poor functional outcomes. A systematic review and meta-analysis found that the incidence rate of elevated ICP (ICP >20 mmHg) in patients with aSAH was 70.69%, with elevated ICP being more common in patients with higher disease severity grades, including higher Hunt-Hess, WFNS, or modified Fisher grades.

Intraventricular ICP monitoring provides continuous, real-time quantitative ICP data and may facilitate a stepwise ICP-lowering strategy and goal-directed management based on quantitative ICP values. However, the role of continuous ICP monitoring and protocolized ICP-targeted management in aSAH remains uncertain, and high-quality randomized evidence remains limited. Given this evidence gap, this study was designed to determine whether a structured management strategy guided by continuous intraventricular ICP monitoring improves functional outcomes in patients with aSAH compared with standard care, and to assess the safety of this management strategy.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
372

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

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

  • China
    • Shanghai Municipality
      • Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China, 200000
        • Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University

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

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion criterias

  1. Definite diagnosis of aSAH: presence of SAH symptoms confirmed by CT, with rupture of an intracranial aneurysm identified by CTA or DSA. The ruptured aneurysm is scheduled for definitive treatment (clipping or endovascular therapy) within 72 hours of onset.
  2. Age ≥ 18 years.
  3. Symptom onset within 72 hours.
  4. Hunt-Hess grade 2-4 and modified Fisher grade 2-4 on CT imaging.
  5. Written informed consent obtained from the participant or legal representative.

Exclusion criteria included

  1. Pregnancy or lactation;
  2. Bilateral fixed dilated pupils on admission;
  3. Malignancy, bleeding disorders, or other severe systemic comorbidities, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, multiple organ dysfunction, severe diabetes, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease;
  4. Pre-existing neurological disability due to previous brain disease or neurosurgery, defined as a premorbid modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≥3;
  5. Significant structural abnormalities on neuroimaging, such as extensive encephalomalacia or marked mass effect;
  6. Subarachnoid haemorrhage caused by non-aneurysmal aetiologies;
  7. Moyamoya disease associated aneurysmal rupture;
  8. Other underlying diseases expected to substantially affect prognosis;
  9. Active request for ICP monitoring by the patient or family;
  10. Any other condition considered unsuitable for enrolment by two investigators;
  11. Concurrent participation in another clinical trial.

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: aSAH management guided by continuous intraventricular ICP monitoring

In the acute phase of aSAH (following endovascular or microsurgical occlusion of the ruptured aneurysm), an intraventricular ICP catheter is placed for continuous ICP monitoring. Postoperative ICP management is guided by continuous quantitative ICP measurements according to a predefined ICP-targeted treatment protocol. Other guideline-based treatments are provided in the same manner as in the control group.
Other: Intraventricular ICP monitoring-guided management

The postoperative management of ICP is guided by continuous quantitative intraventricular ICP measurements according to a predefined ICP-targeted treatment protocol. The treatment target is ICP ≤20 mmHg, and a predefined stepwise ICP-lowering protocol is initiated if ICP remains >20 mmHg for more than 15 minutes. CSF drainage through the intraventricular catheter is permitted when clinically indicated. Other guideline-based treatments are provided in the same manner as in the control group.
No Intervention: Guideline-based Standard Care Group

Guideline-based standard aSAH management is provided without continuous intraventricular ICP monitoring or the predefined ICP-targeted treatment protocol. ICP-related management is not guided by continuous quantitative ICP measurements and is instead based on clinical assessment, imaging findings, and treating physician judgment. Clinically indicated CSF diversion and other standard ICP-lowering treatments are permitted.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Favourable functional outcome at 3 months
Time Frame: 3 months after ictus

The proportion of patients with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores of 0-2. The mRS is an ordinal scale ranging from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater disability. An mRS score of 0-2 is defined as a favourable functional outcome.
3 months after ictus

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Favourable functional outcome assessed by mRS
Time Frame: 1 month and 6 months after ictus

Proportion of patients with mRS scores 0-2
1 month and 6 months after ictus
Favourable functional outcome assessed by Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E)
Time Frame: 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after ictus

The GOS-E is an ordinal scale ranging from 1 to 8, with lower scores indicating greater disability. A GOS-E score ≥5 is defined as a favourable functional outcome.
1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after ictus
All-cause mortality
Time Frame: 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after ictus

Proportion of patients who died.
1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after ictus
Symptomatic hydrocephalus requiring permanent CSF shunting
Time Frame: 3 months after ictus

Proportion of patients with symptomatic hydrocephalus requiring ventriculoperitoneal or lumboperitoneal shunt placement.
3 months after ictus
Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI)
Time Frame: 3 months after ictus

Proportion of patients with DCI. DCI is defined according to the consensus criteria proposed by Vergouwen et al. Clinical DCI is defined as a new focal neurological impairment or a decrease of at least 2 points on the GCS, lasting for at least 1 hour, not apparent immediately after aneurysm occlusion, and not attributable to other causes. DCI-related cerebral infarction is defined as a new cerebral infarction identified on CT or MRI within 6 weeks after SAH that was absent on imaging obtained 24-48 hours after aneurysm occlusion and cannot be attributed to other causes.
3 months after ictus
New-onset seizures
Time Frame: 3 months after ictus

Proportion of patients with clinically or electroencephalographically confirmed new-onset seizures.
3 months after ictus

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Rebleeding
Time Frame: 3 months

New subarachnoid, intracerebral, or intraventricular haemorrhage attributable to rerupture of the index aneurysm after randomisation, confirmed by neuroimaging.
3 months
Catheter tract haemorrhage
Time Frame: 3 months

New intraparenchymal or intraventricular haemorrhage along the trajectory of an intraventricular ICP monitoring catheter or EVD after catheter placement or removal, confirmed by CT, with an estimated haemorrhage volume ≥5 mL.
3 months
Intracranial infection
Time Frame: 3 months

Intracranial infection meeting the prespecified microbiological and/or clinical cerebrospinal fluid criteria, with suspected events adjudicated according to the prespecified definition.
3 months
Wound-related complications
Time Frame: 3 months

Infection, dehiscence, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, or other clinically significant wound complication at the ICP monitoring catheter or EVD insertion site requiring resuturing, procedural intervention, or prolonged wound care.
3 months
Serious adverse events (SAEs)
Time Frame: 6 months

All serious adverse events are systematically recorded through completion of the 6-month follow-up.
6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Huashan Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Wei Zhu, Ph.D., Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University
  • Principal Investigator: Xuehai Wu, Ph.D., Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University

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 (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 19, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 29, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 25, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 25, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 1, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 28, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 23, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • KY2024-050

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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