ACid Tranexamic or Terlipressin for Initial Emergency Treatment of Mild to seVere hEmoptysis: a Randomized Trial. (ACTIVE)

The study aims is to verify the hypothetize that inhaled Tranexamic Acid (TXA) or Terlipressin (TER) will be associated with an increase in the rapid control of hemoptysis without side-effects.

This randomized double-blind multicenter triple arm trial compares the administration of TXA to TER to placebo in patients with mild to severe hemoptysis.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hemoptysis
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Terlipressin; Drug: Tranexamic Acid 500 MG; Drug: Placebo

Detailed Description

In over 90% of cases, hemoptysis is due to a bronchial or non-bronchial systemic arterial mechanism.

Embolization of Bronchial Arteries (EBA) is the main specific treatment but is not easily available. Medical treatment for hemoptysis is not evidence-based.

For this study, the investigators will dispense trial drugs using inhalation route which has not been evaluated in mild to severe hemoptysis in previous trials. In addition, as opposed to previous trials, the investigators will assess the safety of trials drugs during hospital stay.

Acid tranexamic (TXA), an antifibrinolytic drug, reduces bleeding in uterine and traumatic haemorrhage by blocking the action of plasmin on fibrin. Intravenous terlipressin (TER), a vasoconstrictor, contributes to control digestive haemorrhage but presents many contraindication when administrated by intravenous route.

The investigator hypothetize that inhaled antifibrinolytic (TXA) or vasoconstrictor (TER) will be associated with an increase in the rapid control of hemoptysis without side-effects.

Patients will be randomized into 3 groups:

• Active treatment 1: Tranexamic Acid 500 mg three times a day (every 8 hours) for 3 days.
• Active treatment 2: Terlipressin 1 mg three times a day (every 8 hours) for 3 days.
• Placebo: normal saline nebulization three times a day (every 8 hours) for 3 days.

Using a hierarchical analysis, the comparison between TXA and TER will be tested once superiority on efficacy of both inhaled TXA and TER vs placebo is demonstrated. The above secondary objectives will then be assessed for the comparison of TXA versus TER.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 315
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Paris, France
    • AP-HP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years to 86 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients over 18 years, under 90 years
• Mild to severe hemoptysis that has been going on for less than 7 days
• Total expectorate blood ranging from 50 ml to 200 ml
• Admission in emergency department or ICU for less than 12 hours
• Social security affiliation
• Signed informed consent
• For child-bearing aged women, efficient contraception includes oral oestrogen- progestin, oral progestin, progestin implants and all types of intrauterine devices

Exclusion Criteria:

• Need for mechanical ventilation
• Cystic fibrosis
• Pregnancy or breast feeding
• Contraindication for contrast agents injection (renal failure with creatinin clearance < 30mL/min, know allergy to contrast agents injection)
• Known hypersensitivity to TXA or TER or one of its excipients
• Know previous cardiac arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter..)

• Contraindication to TXA (including renal failure with creatinin clearance < 30mL/min) or TER therapy :

  • acute myocardial infarction in the 6 past months,
  • intrathecal injection in the 3 past months,
  • seizure in the past 3 months
• Participation in another interventional study or being in the exclusion period at the end of a previous study.
• Patient under tutorship or / guardianship, and incapable to give informed consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Terlipressin; Dosage: 1 mg /5 ml Pharmaceutical form: solution for infusion Posology: 1 mg /8 hours Treatment duration: 3 days Method and route of administration: inhalation using the same jet nebulizers (INT'AIR Medical RN 300) in all Investigating centers	Drug: Terlipressin; Jet nebulization (a device connected by tubing to compressed air or oxygen to flow at high velocity through a liquid medicine to turn it into an aerosol, which is then inhaled by the patient). The nebulization lasts 10 minutes. Posology: 1 mg x 3/day (= 1 mg / 8 hours) Treatments duration: 3 days
Experimental: Tranexamic Acid; Dosage : 500 mg /5 ml Pharmaceutical form: solution for infusion Posology (and adjustments based on toxicity) : 500 mg/ 8 hours Treatment duration: 3 days Method and route of administration: inhalation using the same jet nebulizers (INT'AIR Medical RN 300) in all Investigating centers.	Drug: Tranexamic Acid 500 MG; Jet nebulization (a device connected by tubing to compressed air or oxygen to flow at high velocity through a liquid medicine to turn it into an aerosol, which is then inhaled by the patient). The nebulization lasts 10 minutes. Posology: 500 mg x 3/day (= 500 mg / 8 hours) Treatments duration: 3 days
Placebo Comparator: Normal Saline Placebo; Dose : normal saline solution (NaCl 0.9%) Pharmaceutical form : solution for infusion Posology : 5ml / 8 hours Treatment duration: 3 days Method and route of administration: inhalation using the same jet nebulizers (INT'AIR Medical RN 300) in all Investigating centers.	Drug: Placebo; Jet nebulization (a device connected by tubing to compressed air or oxygen to flow at high velocity through a liquid medicine to turn it into an aerosol, which is then inhaled by the patient). The nebulization lasts 10 minutes. Posology: 5ml x 3/day (= 5 ml / 8 hours) Treatments duration: 3 days.; Other Names: Normal saline placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of patients with complete or partial resolution of hemoptysis without the use of any interventional procedure.	Efficacy of inhaled tranexamic acid and inhaled terlipressin versus placebo (normal saline) in immediate control of mild to severe hemoptysis within the first 3 days of hospitalization. A complete resolution of hemoptysis is defined by absence of recurrence within 3 days; partial resolution is defined as hemoptysis recurrence < 50 ml within the first 3 days	3 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Rate of in-hospital mortality		30 days
Rate of patients with hemoptysis recurrence		30 days
Death rate		30 days
Rate of complete resolution of hemoptysis within 3 days, as previously defined	Complete resolution of hemoptysis, as previously defined	3 days
Rate of partial resolution of hemoptysis defined as recurrence < 50 ml	Partial resolution of hemoptysis, as previously defined	3 days
Rate of patients with total volume of hemoptysis < 200 ml	Total volume of hemoptysis < 200 ml	3 days
Rate of patients who need an endovascular treatment (bronchial arterial endovascular embolization)	Need of invasive procedure such as bronchial arterial endovascular embolization	3 days
Time between hospital admission and bronchial arterial endovascular embolization	Time between hospital admission and endovascular treatment	3 days
Rate of patients who need a mechanical ventilation	Need of invasive procedure such as mechanical ventilation,	3 days
Rate of specific adverse events	Specific Adverse Events (AE) : acute myocardial ischemia, symptomatic venous thromboembolism, hyponatremia (<130 mmol/L), bronchospasm (defined by the need of short-acting bronchodilatator).	3 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris
• Collaborators: Ministry of Health, France
• Investigators: Study Chair: Benjamin Planquette, MD, PhD, AP-HP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 27, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 28, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): March 25, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 5, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 5, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): July 14, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 23, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 20, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: tranexamic acid; terlipressin
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Hemorrhage; Lung Diseases; Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Hemoptysis; Hormones; Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists; Peptide Hormones; Neuropeptides; Peptides; Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins; Oligopeptides; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Proteins; Organic Chemicals; Carboxylic Acids; Acids, Carbocyclic; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; Pituitary Hormones, Posterior; Pituitary Hormones; Vasopressins; Lypressin; Terlipressin; Tranexamic Acid
• Other Study ID Numbers: APHP200043; 2020-005931-58 (EudraCT Number); PHRC-19-0412 (Other Grant/Funding Number: French ministry of health)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data (IPD) that underlie results in publication could be shared. IPD detailed in the protocol of a planned metaanalysis could be shared
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Two years after the last publication

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Data sharing must be accepted by the sponsor and the PI based on a scientific project and scientific involvement of the PI team. Collaboration will be fostered.

Teams wishing obtain IPD must meet the sponsor and PI team to present scientific (and commercial) purpose, IPD needed, format of data transmission, and timeframe. Technical feasability and financial support will be discussed before mandatory contractual agreement.

Processing of shared data must comply with European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No