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TerminatedNCT05126238Updated Sep 25, 2025

A Lithium-Based Medication to Improve Neurological Outcomes After Surgical Carotid Reconstruction

A Phase 3 interventional study of Lithium Carbonate and Placebo in Carotid Artery Diseases and Carotid Artery Stenosis, sponsored by Negovsky Reanimatology Research Institute. Terminated at 1 site in Russia. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-09-25.

Sponsored by Negovsky Reanimatology Research Institute · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was terminated
Decision of the local ethics committee
Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
107
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

There are 10.3 million cases of stroke registered in the world every year; 63% of them lead to death. According to World Health Organization, stroke is one of the most important risk factors of death and early disability.

Carotid artery surgery is a gold standard of hemodynamically significant carotid artery disease treatment. According to some trials, carotid artery surgery decreases the 2-years mortality.

The most important part of carotid artery surgery is a temporary absence of blood flow in the carotid artery. The duration of this period is a crucial characteristic of this type of surgery. The absence of blood flow leads to brain ischemia which is the risk factor of postoperative neurocognitive disorders such as emergence delirium, postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

Some surgical and non-surgical methods for brain protection were evaluated. According to recent data, there is no evidence of effective pharmacological protective methods that can decrease brain damage during carotid artery surgery.

Nevertheless, some trials demonstrated that using lithium-based medications for patients with a stroke can reduce the volume of the stroke. Therefore, the investigators want to check the hypothesis that using lithium-based medication in the preoperative period can reduce brain damage during carotid artery surgery.

The objectives of this trial:

  1. To determine if Lithium carbonate is superior to placebo for the occurrence of emergence delirium, agitation, postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction.
  2. To determine if Lithium carbonate is non-inferior to placebo for the occurrence of a new arrhythmia, leukocytosis, acute kidney injury, seizure disorders, diarrhea, nausea, and vomit.
Read the detailed description

There are 10.3 million cases of stroke registered in the world every year; 63% of them lead to death. According to World Health Organization, stroke is one of the most important risk factors of death and early disability.

Carotid artery surgery is a gold standard of hemodynamically significant carotid artery disease treatment. According to some trials, carotid artery surgery decreases the 2-years mortality.

The most important part of carotid artery surgery is a temporary absence of blood flow in the carotid artery. The duration of this period is a crucial characteristic of this type of surgery. The absence of blood flow leads to brain ischemia which is the risk factor of postoperative neurocognitive disorders such as emergence delirium, postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

Some surgical and non-surgical methods for brain protection were evaluated. According to recent data, there is no evidence of effective pharmacological protective methods that can decrease brain damage during carotid artery surgery.

Nevertheless, some trials demonstrated that using lithium-based medications for patients with a stroke can reduce the volume of the stroke. Therefore, the investigators want to check the hypothesis that using lithium-based medication in the preoperative period can reduce brain damage during carotid artery surgery.

The objectives of this trial:

To determine if Lithium carbonate is superior to placebo for the occurrence of emergence delirium, agitation, postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

To determine if Lithium carbonate is non-inferior to placebo for the occurrence of a new arrhythmia, leukocytosis, acute kidney injury, seizure disorders, diarrhea, nausea, and vomit.

02

Conditions studied

  • Carotid Artery Diseases
  • Carotid Artery Stenosis

Keywords

  • Carotid artery diseases
  • Carotid artery stenosis
  • Carotid artery surgery
  • Lithium
  • Neurocognitive disorders
  • Postoperative cognitive disorders
  • Postoperative delirium
  • Emergence delirium
  • Agitation
  • Stroke
  • Neuroinflammation
03

In context

Carotid Artery Diseases

248 studies on the registry are indexed under Carotid Artery Diseases; 56 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 107 is below the median of 120 across 118 interventional studies indexed under Carotid Artery Diseases.

Browse Carotid Artery Diseases studies →

Lead sponsor

Negovsky Reanimatology Research Institute is the lead sponsor of 10 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • age > 18 years
  • elective carotid artery surgery
  • general anesthesia
  • written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • urgent surgery
  • recent ( \< 1 month) overt stroke
  • Mini-mental State Examination \< 20 points
  • The presence of any mental disorder according to the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision which is confirmed by a psychiatrist.
  • The presence of any neuromuscular disease according to the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision
  • Hypersensitivity or known allergy to lithium carbonate
  • History of seizure disorder
  • History of leukemia
  • Estimated glomerular filtration rate \< 30 ml/min/1.73 m2
  • Left ventricular ejection fraction \< 30%
  • Heart failure equal 3 or 4 class according to the New York Heart Association Functional Classification
  • Pregnant or breast-feeding women
  • Inability to undergo a preoperative assessment for any reason
  • Previously enrolled in this trial
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
107 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Lithium

    In preoperative period patients will take 300mg of lithium carbonate on 1-1-1 regimen during 2 days prior to surgery. On the day of surgery, they will take 300mg of lithium carbonate 2 hours before surgery. After the surgery, patients will take 300mg of lithium carbonate in the afternoon and 300mg of lithium carbonate in the evening.

    Drug: Lithium Carbonate

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    In preoperative period patients will take placebo on 1-1-1 regimen during 2 days prior to surgery. On the day of surgery, they will take placebo 2 hours before surgery. After the surgery, patients will take placebo in the afternoon and in the evening.

    Drug: Placebo

Interventions

  • DrugLithium Carbonate

    In preoperative period patients will take 300 mg of lithium carbonate on 1-1-1 regimen during 2 days prior to surgery. On the day of surgery they will take 300mg of lithium carbonate 2 hours before surgery.

  • DrugPlacebo

    In preoperative period patients will take placebo on 1-1-1 regimen during 2 days prior to surgery. On the day of surgery they will placebo 2 hours before surgery.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Frequency of emergence delirium

    Number of patients with positive the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit as soon as they reach Aldrete score of 9 points

    Time frame: 30 days

Secondary outcomes

  1. Frequency of agitation

    Richmond agitation-sedation scale more or equal +2 evaluated from the end of volatile anesthetic supply to the moment when a patient reaches Aldrete score of 9 points Richmond agitation-sedation scale: minimum value = -5 (Unarousable - no response to voice or physical stimulation) maximum value = +4 (Combative - overtly combative or violent; immediate danger to staff) Adequate patients have the results of Richmond agitation-sedation score equal 0 (Alert and calm; Spontaneously pays attention to caregiver)

    Time frame: 30 days

  2. Frequency of postoperative delirium

    Number of patients with even one positive confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit or 3-minute confusion assessment method

    Time frame: 30 days

  3. Length of postoperative delirium

    30 days - number of days in which patient had positive confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit or 3-minute confusion assessment method

    Time frame: until 1 month after surgery

  4. Frequency of overt strokes

    Number of overt strokes

    Time frame: 1 year

  5. Frequency of covert strokes

    Number of covert strokes

    Time frame: 1 year

  6. Length of stay in intensive care unit

    Number of days in intensive care unit

    Time frame: 1 month

  7. Length of hospitalization

    Number of days in hospital

    Time frame: 1 month

  8. Frequency of cardiac death

    Number of of cardiac deaths

    Time frame: 1 year

  9. Frequency of non-fatal cardiac arrest

    Number of non-fatal cardiac arrests

    Time frame: 1 year

  10. Frequency of major adverse cardiac event

    Number of major adverse cardiac events

    Time frame: 1 year

  11. Frequency of major adverse cardiac and cognitive event

    Number of major adverse cardiac and cognitive events

    Time frame: 1 year

  12. 30-days mortality

    Number of deaths in period of 30 days after surgery

    Time frame: 30 days

  13. 1-year mortality

    Number of deaths in period of 1 year after surgery

    Time frame: 1 year

  14. Frequency of new postoperative arrhythmia

    Number of new postoperative arrhythmias

    Time frame: 1 month

  15. Frequency of leukocytosis

    Number of patients with leukocytosis

    Time frame: From 2 days before surgery to the day of surgery

  16. Frequency of acute diarrhea

    Number of patients with acute diarrhea

    Time frame: From 2 days before surgery to the day of surgery

  17. Frequency of postoperative nausea and vomit

    Number of patients with postoperative nausea and vomit

    Time frame: 1 month

  18. Frequency of preoperative nausea and vomit

    Number of patients with preoperative nausea and vomit

    Time frame: From 2 days before surgery to the day of surgery

  19. Frequency of acute kidney injury

    Number of patients with acute kidney injury

    Time frame: 1 month

  20. Frequency of myasthenia

    Number of patients with myasthenia

    Time frame: From 2 days before surgery to the day of surgery

  21. Frequency of preoperative seizure

    Number of patients with seizure

    Time frame: From 2 days before surgery to the day of surgery

  22. Frequency of postoperative seizure

    Number of patients with seizure

    Time frame: 1 month

  23. Serum level of S100 beta protein

    Serum level of S100 beta protein

    Time frame: 2 days after surgery

  24. Serum level of neuron-specific enolase

    Serum level of neuron-specific enolase

    Time frame: 2 days after surgery

  25. Serum level of Tau-protein

    Serum level of Tau-protein

    Time frame: 2 days after surgery

  26. Serum level of Neurofilament light polypeptide

    Serum level of Neurofilament light polypeptide

    Time frame: 2 days after surgery

  27. Serum level of Glial fibrillary acidic protein

    Serum level of Glial fibrillary acidic protein

    Time frame: 2 days after surgery

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Demikhov Municipal Clinical Hospital 68
    Moscow, Russia
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 25, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05126238
Lead sponsor
Negovsky Reanimatology Research Institute
Collaborators
Demikhov Municipal Clinical Hospital 68
Responsible party
Valery Likhvantsev, MD (Head of the Research V. Negovsky Reanimatology Research Institute, Negovsky Reanimatology Research Institute) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 18, 2021
Start date
Nov 20, 2021
Primary completion
May 19, 2025
Completion
May 19, 2025
Last update
Sep 25, 2025

Study contacts

Valery Likhvantsev, PhD
principal investigator · Negovsky Reanimatology Research Institute

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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