Capillary Refill Time Variation to Predict Oxygen Comsumption Variation After FLuid Challenge (CARTOFL) (CARTOFL)

October 29, 2026 updated by: Hospices Civils de Lyon

Circulatory shock is characterized by tissue hypoxia. Although fluid resuscitation is an essential treatment in many forms of circulatory shock, its benefits are variable, and its administration carries a risk of potentially harmful fluid overload.

Assessment of fluid responsiveness generally relies on changes in cardiac output. However, the actual therapeutic objective is rather to improve tissue oxygen utilization, as reflected by oxygen consumption. Despite its physiological relevance, direct measurement of oxygen consumption remains complex and difficult to perform in routine clinical practice.

Capillary refill time is a simple, rapid, non-invasive, and readily available marker of peripheral perfusion. It is associated with outcomes in patients with circulatory shock, and a capillary refill time-guided therapeutic strategy may improve outcomes in patients with septic shock.

This study hypothesizes that changes in capillary refill time following fluid resuscitation may predict changes in oxygen consumption induced by fluid administration. If confirmed, capillary refill time and its changes could be incorporated into the criteria used to assess the indication for fluid resuscitation in patients with shock. They would also provide additional physiological information regarding the relationship between peripheral perfusion and oxygen consumption.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

80

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 Locations

      • Bron, France, 69500
        • Service d'Anesthésie-Réanimation, Hôpital Louis Pradel, Hospices Civils de Lyon
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Rémi Schweizer, Dr

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

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients admitted to the ICU

Description

Inclusion Criteria :

  • Adult patient admitted to the intensive care unit within the previous 72 hours
  • Receiving invasive mechanical ventilation
  • For whom the clinician plans to perform a fluid challenge
  • No objection from the participant or a relative/legally authorized representative

Exclusion Criteria :

  • Fraction of inspired oxygen greater than 60%
  • Administration of inhaled medications, including nitric oxide
  • Positive end-expiratory pressure greater than 15 cmH₂O
  • Excessive leaks in the ventilator circuit, defined as an expired volume less than 95% of the inspired volume
  • Patient receiving mechanical circulatory support involving a gas exchanger
  • Patient receiving renal replacement therapy
  • Administration of sodium bicarbonate within the 2 hours preceding inclusion
  • Disconnection from the ventilator anticipated before the end of the study

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

  • Observational Models: COHORT
  • Time Perspectives: PROSPECTIVE

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Patients

The patients targeted by this study are mechanically ventilated intensive care patients for whom the attending clinician plans to perform a fluid challenge.

Setup of an indirect calorimetry measurement

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Assessment of the ability of fluid challenge-induced changes in capillary refill time to predict fluid challenge-induced changes in oxygen consumption
Time Frame: Day 0

Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of changes in capillary refill time for predicting a 15% increase in oxygen consumption during a fluid challenge

Day 0

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

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 (Estimated)

December 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 15, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 22, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

September 24, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 2, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 29, 2026

Last Verified

September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 69HCL26_0902

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.