A Phase 3 interventional study of Furosemide and Placebo in Pre-Eclampsia, Hypertension in Pregnancy and Pregnancy Complications, sponsored by Melanie Maykin, MD. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-04-18.
Sponsored by Melanie Maykin, MD · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
Primary objective: To determine whether the addition of intravenous furosemide with usual antihypertensives is associated with a reduction in mean systolic blood pressure from baseline compared to treatment with placebo plus usual antihypertensives (intravenous labetalol, intravenous hydralazine, or oral immediate release nifedipine) for the management of severe antepartum hypertension.
Secondary objectives:
To determine whether the addition of intravenous furosemide with usual antihypertensives is associated with a reduction in mean diastolic blood pressure compared to treatment with placebo plus usual antihypertensives listed above.
Blood pressure is a measure of blood flow and resistance in blood vessels. In normal pregnancy, total blood volume increases while systemic vascular resistance decreases, thereby leading to an overall reduction in blood pressure with return to baseline at term. Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, including preeclampsia, are a polymorphic syndrome characterized by elevated blood pressures which can affect multiple organ systems. Although the exact mechanism of preeclampsia has yet to be determined, previous studies have shown that there may be two distinct phenotypes - one characterized by vasoconstriction and diminished micro-circulation and the other involving a hyperdynamic high cardiac output state.
Given its potential for both significant maternal and fetal morbidity, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy comprise a substantial proportion of antepartum admissions. Management of acute severe hypertension (systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 160 or diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 110) is important to reduce the risk of stroke, hypertensive encephalopathy, placental abruption, and heart failure or myocardial infarction. In the antepartum and intrapartum period, the use of antihypertensives including labetalol, nifedipine, and hydralazine have been well-described. Despite these options for blood pressure control, preeclampsia can be a progressive disorder that may not respond to the aforementioned agents.
In preeclampsia manifested by high blood volume due to salt and water retention rather than vasoconstriction, standard antihypertensives may be less effective. Furosemide is a commonly used diuretic that can lower blood pressure by inhibiting the absorption of sodium, chloride, and water, thereby decreasing the volume of blood that the heart pumps. The onset of action of action of IV furosemide is 5 minutes, with peak effect at 30 minutes, and duration of action of 2 hours.
Previous studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of furosemide to treat preeclampsia in the antepartum and postpartum period as well as its utility in treating heart failure in pregnant women. To our knowledge, no randomized studies exist that investigate the use of furosemide in treating hypertension in the antepartum period. We aim to determine the utility of the addition of furosemide to usual antihypertensives in this clinical setting.
This will be a prospective double-blinded randomized placebo control trial of women with a diagnosis of preeclampsia with severe features at ≥20 weeks of gestation with persistent antepartum hypertension (sustained systolic blood pressure ≥160 or diastolic blood pressure ≥110 mmHg) and a wide pulse pressure (>60 mmHg) who meet all inclusion criteria and have no exclusion criteria. It is routine that laboratory studies are performed on admission for all women with hypertensive disorders. If electrolyte disturbances exist, therapy will not be initiated unless the electrolyte is normalized or repleted.
After informed consent and upon meeting inclusion criteria with severe range hypertension with wide pulse pressure, the study personnel will inform pharmacy personnel who will then randomly assigned the patient to groups by opening the next previously prepared sequential and numbered opaque study envelope. Participants will be randomized to furosemide plus an antihypertensive versus placebo containing normal saline and an antihypertensive. The pharmacy staff will send the assigned treatment, which will be administered by the bedside nurse. The vials containing the treatment will be indistinguishable as both furosemide and normal saline placebo are clear, colorless solutions. Thus, the provider, nurse, and patient will be blinded to the treatment. The choice of antihypertensive will be determined by the primary obstetric provider. At our institution, this will be one or more of the recommended medications for urgent blood pressure control as outlined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Practice Bulletin on gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. These include IV labetalol, IV hydralazine, or immediate-release oral nifedipine. As meta-analyses have not shown that one of the aforementioned antihypertensives is superior than another, and all are reasonable options, the choice of antihypertensive will be left up to the obstetric provider. This will also improve the generalizability of the study as it does not interfere with what is typically done in clinical practice.
As a procedure of the study, patients will have their blood pressure recorded at least every 15 minutes up to one hour after administration of the study drug. Thereafter, as part of routine care, patients in both groups will receive similar antepartum surveillance, including blood pressure and pulse assessment every four hours or more frequently if vital signs are abnormal, daily weight measurement, and daily urinary output measurements.
Study Procedures
a. Patient randomized to treatment arm and receives 40mg /4 milliliters IV furosemide in addition to usual antihypertensive.
b. Patient randomized to placebo and receives 4 milliliters normal saline in addition to usual antihypertensive.
328 studies on the registry are indexed under Eclampsia; 48 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 65 is below the median of 120 across 169 interventional studies indexed under Eclampsia.
Browse Eclampsia studies →This is the only study on the registry with Melanie Maykin, MD as lead sponsor.
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Exclusion Criteria:
When patient meets inclusion criteria and is randomized to treatment drug, she receives 40mg /4 milliliters (mL) IV furosemide in addition to usual antihypertensive.
Drug: Furosemide
When patient meets inclusion criteria and is randomized to placebo, she receives one dose of 4mL normal saline in addition to usual antihypertensive.
Other: Placebo
Furosemide, a loop diuretic
Normal saline
Mean Systolic Blood Pressure During Hour After Study Drug
Mean systolic blood pressure during hour after study drug administration.
Time frame: 0 minutes to 60 minutes post-dose
Mean Diastolic Blood Pressure During Hour After Study Drug
Mean diastolic blood pressure during the 1-hour period after drug administration.
Time frame: 0 minutes to 60 minutes post-dose
Change From Qualifying Systolic Blood Pressure
Change from qualifying systolic blood pressure (qualifying SBP-mean SBP during hour after intervention) where qualifying systolic blood pressure refers to a severe range SBP (\>=160 millimeters of mercury (mmHg)) for at least 15 minutes.
Time frame: 0 minutes to 1 hour post-dose
Change From Qualifying Diastolic Blood Pressure
Change from qualifying diastolic blood pressure (qualifying DBP-mean DBP during hour after intervention) where qualifying diastolic blood pressure refers to a severe range DBP (\>=110 millimeters of mercury (mmHg)) for at least 15 minutes.
Time frame: 0 minutes to 1 hour post-dose
Pulse Pressure at 2 Hours After Study Drug.
Pulse pressure at 2 hours after study drug.
Time frame: 2 hours post-dose
Systolic Blood Pressure at 2 Hours After Study Drug
Systolic blood pressure at 2 hours after study drug
Time frame: 2 hours post-dose
Diastolic Blood Pressure at 2 Hours After Study Drug
Diastolic blood pressure at 2 hours after study drug
Time frame: 2 hours post-dose
Gestational Age at Delivery
Gestational age in weeks and days at the time of birth
Time frame: at the time of birth
Time From Admission to Delivery
Time in days and hours from admission to birth
Time frame: at the time of delivery
Time From Treatment to Delivery
Time in days and hours from treatment to birth
Time frame: at the time of delivery
Induction of Labor
Number of women who required induction of labor
Time frame: at the time of induction of labor
Mode of Delivery
Type of delivery
Time frame: at time of delivery
Eclampsia
Number of women who developed seizure
Time frame: at time of hospital discharge
Low Apgar Scores of Neonate (Apgar Score <7 at 5 Min)
Neonatal clinical assessment (Apgar is not an abbreviated term). Minimum value 0; maximum value 9; Tool is used for assessment and not an accurate prognostic tool to predict outcomes.
Time frame: at 5 minutes after delivery
Newborns Admitted to Intensive Care Nursery
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit admission
Time frame: assessed from time of delivery until discharge since neonates can be admitted to the NICU at any time during this interval if issues arise.
Time to Achieve First Non-severe BP (m)
Time to achieve first non-severe BP (m)
Time frame: Assessed from time of severe range blood pressure to time at resolution of severe range blood pressure. Reported at time of resolution of severe range blood pressure.
Number of Participants Who Required Additional Antihypertensive Agents in an Hour After Allocation
Were any additional antihypertensive agents in hour after allocation
Time frame: Assessed from 0 minutes to 1 hour post-dose, 1-hour post-dose reported
Latency Until Next First-line Antepartum Antihypertensive Agents
time until next first-line antepartum antihypertensive agent given
Time frame: 0 minutes to delivery of baby (72 hours post-dose)
Discharged Without Delivery
proportion of participants who were discharged prior to delivery of the baby
Time frame: at time of hospital discharge
Length of Stay
length of stay
Time frame: at time of hospital discharge
Birthweight
weight of baby at birth
Time frame: at time of birth
| Milestone | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 33 | 32 |
| Completed | 33 | 32 |
| Not completed | 0 | 0 |
Mean systolic blood pressure during hour after study drug administration.
| mmHg | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Mean Systolic Blood Pressure During Hour After Study Drug | 147 ± 14.8 | 152 ± 13.8 |
Mean diastolic blood pressure during the 1-hour period after drug administration.
| mmHg | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Mean Diastolic Blood Pressure During Hour After Study Drug | 88 ± 10.8 | 87 ± 9.3 |
Change from qualifying systolic blood pressure (qualifying SBP-mean SBP during hour after intervention) where qualifying systolic blood pressure refers to a severe range SBP (\>=160 millimeters of mercury (mmHg)) for at least 15 minutes.
| mmHg | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Change From Qualifying Systolic Blood Pressure | -26 ± 13.9 | -24 ± 15.5 |
Change from qualifying diastolic blood pressure (qualifying DBP-mean DBP during hour after intervention) where qualifying diastolic blood pressure refers to a severe range DBP (\>=110 millimeters of mercury (mmHg)) for at least 15 minutes.
| mmHg | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Change From Qualifying Diastolic Blood Pressure | -12 ± 7.6 | -11 ± 8.9 |
Pulse pressure at 2 hours after study drug.
| mmHg | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Pulse Pressure at 2 Hours After Study Drug. | 55 ± 12.5 | 67 ± 15.1 |
Systolic blood pressure at 2 hours after study drug
| mmHg | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Systolic Blood Pressure at 2 Hours After Study Drug | 139 ± 18.5 | 154 ± 18.4 |
Diastolic blood pressure at 2 hours after study drug
| mmHg | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Diastolic Blood Pressure at 2 Hours After Study Drug | 84 ± 12.5 | 87 ± 10.5 |
Gestational age in weeks and days at the time of birth
| weeks | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Gestational Age at Delivery | 34.1 ± 2.9 | 34 ± 3.1 |
Time in days and hours from admission to birth
| days | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Time From Admission to Delivery | 2.3 (1.1 to 14.6) | 3.7 (1.1 to 11.2) |
Time in days and hours from treatment to birth
| days | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Time From Treatment to Delivery | 2.1 (.8 to 10.9) | 1.8 (.7 to 6.5) |
Number of women who required induction of labor
| Participants | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Induction of Labor | 7 | 4 |
Type of delivery
| Participants | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| spontaneous vaginal delivery | 9 | 8 |
| operative vaginal delivery | 0 | 2 |
| Cesarean section | 24 | 22 |
Number of women who developed seizure
| Participants | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Eclampsia | 0 | 0 |
Neonatal clinical assessment (Apgar is not an abbreviated term). Minimum value 0; maximum value 9; Tool is used for assessment and not an accurate prognostic tool to predict outcomes.
| neonates | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Low Apgar Scores of Neonate (Apgar Score <7 at 5 Min) | 3 | 3 |
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit admission
| neonates | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Newborns Admitted to Intensive Care Nursery | 24 | 25 |
Time to achieve first non-severe BP (m)
| minutes | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Time to Achieve First Non-severe BP (m) | 44 (23 to 75) | 46 (30 to 76) |
Were any additional antihypertensive agents in hour after allocation
| Participants | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants Who Required Additional Antihypertensive Agents in an Hour After Allocation | 9 | 7 |
time until next first-line antepartum antihypertensive agent given
| hours | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Latency Until Next First-line Antepartum Antihypertensive Agents | 10.8 (.8 to 31.1) | 3.2 (.4 to 25.9) |
proportion of participants who were discharged prior to delivery of the baby
| Participants | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Discharged Without Delivery | 6 | 3 |
length of stay
| days | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Length of Stay | 6.1 (4.3 to 12.5) | 7.3 (4.1 to 7.3) |
weight of baby at birth
| grams | Furosemide | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Birthweight | 1921 ± 534.7 | 2070 ± 796.4 |
Collected over 1 year and 3 months. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furosemide | 0/33 (0%) | 0/33 (0%) | 0/33 (0%) |
| Placebo | 0/32 (0%) | 0/32 (0%) | 0/32 (0%) |
| Age, Categorical(Participants) | Furosemide | Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| <=18 years | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Between 18 and 65 years | 33 | 32 | 65 |
| >=65 years | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sex/Gender, Customized(Participants) | Furosemide | Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex — Female | 33 | 32 | 65 |
| Sex — Male | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized(Participants) | Furosemide | Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Race/Ethnicity — Asian | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| Race/Ethnicity — Filipino | 16 | 12 | 28 |
| Race/Ethnicity — Native Hawaiian | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Race/Ethnicity — Micronesian | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Race/Ethnicity — White | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Race/Ethnicity — All others | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| obese(Participants) | Furosemide | Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Count of participants | 14 | 18 | 32 |
| insurance(Participants) | Furosemide | Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial | 24 | 18 | 42 |
| Public | 9 | 14 | 23 |
| nulliparous(Participants) | Furosemide | Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Count of participants | 18 | 14 | 32 |
| twin pregnancy(Participants) | Furosemide | Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Count of participants | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| hypertension subtype(Participants) | Furosemide | Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| new-onset | 14 | 18 | 32 |
| pre-existing | 19 | 14 | 33 |
Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.
Plan to share: Yes — Will individual participant data be available (including data dictionaries)? Individual participant data will be made available. What data in particular will be shared? Individual participant data that underlie the results reported any future manuscript, after deidentification (text, tables, figures, and appendices). What other documents will be available? There are no plans for additional documents to be made available. When will data be available (start and end dates)? Beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following any publication. With whom? Researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal. For what types of analyses? To achieve aims in the approved proposal.
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