Hemodynamic Effects of Norepinephrine Reduction on Critical Closing Pressure in Distributive Shock

June 12, 2026 updated by: Bin Du, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Changes in Critical Closing Pressure and Derived Hemodynamic Parameters Following Norepinephrine Dose Reduction in Distributive Shock Patients: a Prospective Observational Study

This study prospectively observes changes in critical closing pressure (Pcc) and derived hemodynamic parameters in mechanically ventilated distributive shock patients when clinically indicated norepinephrine dose reduction is performed by the attending physician. Pcc is measured before and 30 minutes after dose reduction using a stepwise inspiratory hold maneuver via PiCCO monitoring.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
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

In distributive shock patients receiving norepinephrine with MAP maintained in the 75-85 mmHg range, attending physicians may reduce norepinephrine dose based on clinical judgment. This study observes hemodynamic changes associated with such reductions without any investigator-initiated intervention. Critical closing pressure (Pcc) and derived parameters including tissue perfusion pressure (TPP), mean systemic filling pressure analogue (Pmsf), and vascular waterfall (VW) are measured at baseline and 30 minutes after dose reduction, provided MAP variability is less than 5 mmHg. Pcc is derived from linear regression of simultaneously measured cardiac output (CO) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during stepwise inspiratory hold maneuvers. Steady-state CO and MAP values are recorded during the final 3 seconds of 12-second inspiratory holds at plateau pressures of 5, 15, 25, and 35 cmH2O. The x-intercept of the CO-MAP regression line is taken as Pcc.

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.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

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.
30

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Beijing Municipality
      • Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China, 100730
        • Recruiting
        • Peking Union Medical College Hospital
        • Contact:

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult distributive shock patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation and norepinephrine treatment

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Adult distributive shock patients aged ≥18 years;
  2. Receiving norepinephrine infusion with MAP in the 75-85 mmHg range;
  3. PiCCO catheter in situ;
  4. Under mechanical ventilation;
  5. Clinically indicated norepinephrine dose reduction per attending physician judgment.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Significant cardiac arrhythmia affecting CO measurement reliability;
  2. Contraindication to airway plateau pressure maneuver;
  3. Active titration of other vasoactive agents within 30 minutes prior to measurement;
  4. Hemodynamic instability making it impossible to reduce norepinephrine dose.

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

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
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.
Distributive shock patients undergoing norepinephrine dose reduction
Mechanically ventilated distributive shock patients in whom the attending physician clinically indicated norepinephrine dose reduction, with MAP transitioning from the 75-85 mmHg range to the 65-75 mmHg range.
Other: Not applicable- observational study
Observation of hemodynamic parameters before and after clinically indicated norepinephrine dose reduction. No investigator-initiated intervention was performed.

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
Change in critical closing pressure (Pcc, Unit: mmHg) before and after norepinephrine dose reduction
Time Frame: Baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction
Pcc is derived from linear regression of simultaneously measured cardiac output against mean arterial pressure during stepwise inspiratory hold maneuvers via PiCCO monitoring. The x-intercept of the regression line (at zero flow) represents Pcc. Measurement is performed at baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction.
Baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction
Change in tissue perfusion pressure (TPP, unit: mmHg) before and after norepinephrine dose reduction
Time Frame: Baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction
TPP is calculated as the difference between mean arterial pressure (MAP) and critical closing pressure (Pcc): TPP = MAP minus Pcc, unit: mmHg
Baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction

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
Change in mean systemic filling pressure analogue (Pmsf, unit: mmHg) before and after norepinephrine dose reduction
Time Frame: Baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction
Pmsf is estimated as the x-intercept of the linear regression of cardiac output against central venous pressure (CVP), representing the venous pressure at zero flow.
Baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction
Change in Vascular waterfall (VW, unit: mmHg) before and after norepinephrine dose reduction
Time Frame: Baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction
Vascular waterfall (VW) is calculated as Pcc minus Pmsf.
Baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction
Change in capillary refill time (CRT, unit: seconds）
Time Frame: Baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction
Capillary refill time is assessed by applying pressure to the fingertip for 5 seconds and measuring the time for color to return after release.
Baseline and 30 minutes after norepinephrine dose reduction

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.
Peking Union Medical College Hospital

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.
September 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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 1, 2027

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.
September 1, 2027

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).
June 8, 2026

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.
June 12, 2026

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.
June 17, 2026

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.
June 17, 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.
June 12, 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.
June 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.
  • pumch-micu202606

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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