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RecruitingNCT06680180FORTITUDEUpdated Nov 8, 2024

Fibrinolysis Resistance in Infection and Trauma

An observational study in Sepsis and Septic Shock and Trauma, sponsored by Anders Aneman. Recruiting at 4 sites in Australia. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-11-08.

Sponsored by Anders Aneman · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Dec 2025, 9 months ago, but the record still lists the study as recruiting.
  • Started Jun 2024; still recruiting 2 years 4 months later.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
150
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Blood coagulation disorders are often seen in critically ill patients e.g. with severe infection or following extensive injury, that can lead to life threatening events as a result of excessive blood clot formation leading to organ failure. This study aims to use Viscoelastic Testing (VET) technology to detect patients at risk of excessive blood blot formation at the bedside, test new blood coagulation drugs, and guide life-saving use of blood modifying treatments.

Read the detailed description

In healthy individuals blood coagulates (clots) to minimise blood loss then, as part of the process of wound repair, blood clots are broken down in a process called fibrinolysis which involves two key proteins: tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen. In severe infection (sepsis) or following extensive injury (trauma), fibrinolysis abnormalities commonly develop, which include reduced fibrinolysis activity (fibrinolysis resistance) resulting in extensive clot formation and frequently leading to organ failure and death. Currently, the cause of fibrinolysis resistance in sepsis and trauma are unknown and clinical trials to address coagulopathies in sepsis have failed, likely due to inadequate disease phenotyping.

The viscoelastic testing (VET) technology ClotPro® has been used to identify fibrinolysis resistance in 55% of critically ill patients (COVID and non-COVID with acute respiratory failure) and through novel adaptation of the technology, determined that this is likely driven by reduced tPA and/or plasminogen activity. Furthermore, it has been used to detect in real time the impact of a 24 hr tPA infusion on fibrinolysis in a patient. Thus, this preliminary work has demonstrated the feasibility of a personalised treatment approach to fibrinolysis resistance management that can guide life-saving use of fibrinolysis enhancers to overcome resistance in an individualised basis that is likely to increase therapeutic efficacy and safety.

This project aims to scientifically validate the aforementioned preliminary work, increase our knowledge on the mechanisms of reduced fibrinolysis enzyme activity in severe infection and injury, discover potential treatment options, and progress these findings towards translation. The results of this project will drive future clinical trials of repurposed or novel therapies guided by VET to deliver a personalised dose to critically ill patients who demonstrate fibrinolysis resistance, which in conjunction with rapid detection, is anticipated to significantly improve patient outcomes.

02

Conditions studied

  • Sepsis and Septic Shock
  • Trauma

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Keywords

  • Viscoelastic testing (VET)
  • Sepsis
  • Trauma
  • Fibrinolytic Agents
  • Fibrin Modulating Agents
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator
  • Plasminogen
03

In context

Wounds and Injuries

5,056 studies on the registry are indexed under Wounds and Injuries; 861 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 150 is above the median of 135 across 1,597 observational studies indexed under Wounds and Injuries.

Browse Wounds and Injuries studies →

Lead sponsor

This is the only study on the registry with Anders Aneman as lead sponsor.

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
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Patients who are admitted to an ICU

Eligibility criteria

Sepsis/Septic shock Inclusion Criteria:

  • Admission to ICU, needing at least one organ supportand principally for the management of clinically suspected Sepsis or Septic shock according to Spesis-3 criteria (including SARS-COV-2)
  • Expected to remain in ICU and survive beyond the day after tomorrow

Sepsis Exclusion Criteria:

  • On oral anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy
  • Not for full, active ICU support
  • Death is deemed inevitable within 24 hrs

Trauma Inclusion Criteria:

  • Trauma is the principal diagnosis on ICU admission
  • Expected to remain in ICU and survive beyond the day after tomorrow
  • Receiving respiratory support at the time of ICU admission - high-flow nasal prongs, non-invasive or invasive ventilation
  • Already received, or considered at risk of needing a blood product transfusion within 24 hrs of injury

Trauma Exclusion Criteria:

  • Nursing home resident
  • Unsurvivable head injury
  • Not for full, active ICU support
  • Death is deemed inevitable within 24 hrs
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
150 participants (estimated)
Target follow-up
15 Days
Patient registry
Yes
Biospecimen retention
Samples without dna

Groups and cohorts

  • Sepsis/Septic shock

    According to Sepsis-3 definitions (including SARS CoV-2 as pathogen); expected to remain in ICU and survive beyond the day after tomorrow and for full, active ICU treatment; arterial and secure venous access established or imminent as part of standard care; not on oral anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy.

    Diagnostic Test: Viscoelastometric assessment of fibrinolysis

  • Severe Trauma

    Admitted via the Emergency Department resuscitation bay requiring trauma team response; deemed at risk of significant blood loss and where transfusion of blood products i considered in the ED during the acute phase of the resuscitation by a senior clinician; expected to remain in ICH and survive beyond the day after tomorrow and for full, active ICU treatment; Not on oral anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy. A clinical based inclusion approach is the most pragmatic means of patient selection and can be objectively supported by routine blood tests demonstrating poor oxygen supply to the organs. Exclusion criteria: unsurvivable head injury.

    Diagnostic Test: Viscoelastometric assessment of fibrinolysis

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testViscoelastometric assessment of fibrinolysis

    Viscoelastometric assessment of whole blood fibrinolysis using supplemental tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and other agents ex vivo to influence fibrinolysis capacity.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. VET testing and analysis

    VET testing in whole blood will determine the kinetics and contribution of: i) both plasma and platelets to clot formation following the addition of tissue factor. ii) plasma clot formation only by adding tissue factor and platelet inhibitors. iii) tPA-induced fibrinolysis by adding tissue factor and tPA. The following test parameters will be used for analytical purposes: clotting time, clot amplitude at 10 min, maximum clot firmness, lysis time, maximum lysis. The platelet contribution to the clot will be calculated by subtracting (ii) from (i). An additional blood sample will be collected at the time of VET analysis for processing and storage for subsequent fibrinolysis protein analysis.

    Time frame: From admission to ICU and at 24 hours, 48 hours, 5 days, 7 days, 10 days, and 15 days post ICU admission

  2. Laboratory evaluation of fibrinolytic profile

    We will evaluate the temporal changes in key fibrinolytic markers (i.e. plasminogen, antiplasmin, PAI-1 activity) and also changes in overall fibrinolytic capacity of patient plasma (i.e. how responsive plasma is to generate plasmin ex vivo) in relation to the VET testing. Commercial ELISAs will be used to determine plasminogen, alpha2 antiplasmin levels, PAI-1 and tPA activity; A novel tPA inducible plasmin-antiplasmin test will be used to evaluate plasmin generation; amidolytic assay will be used to determine plasmin activity.

    Time frame: From admission to ICU and at 24 hours, 48 hours, 5 days, 7 days, 10 days, and 15 days post ICU admission

07

Study locations

4 of 4 sites recruiting
  • The Canberra hospital (ICU)
    Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2605, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Liverpool Hospital (ICU)
    Liverpool, New South Wales 2170, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Macquarie University Hospital (ICU)
    Macquarie, New South Wales 2109, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Royal North Shore Hospital (ICU)
    St Leonards, New South Wales 2065, Australia
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Coupland LA, Rabbolini DJ, Schoenecker JG, Crispin PJ, Miller JJ, Ghent T, Medcalf RL, Aneman AE. Point-of-care diagnosis and monitoring of fibrinolysis resistance in the critically ill: results from a feasibility study. Crit Care. 2023 Feb 10;27(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s13054-023-04329-5. PubMed 36765421 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 8, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06680180
Lead sponsor
Anders Aneman
Collaborators
Liverpool Hospital, South Western Sydney Local Health District, The Canberra Hospital, Royal North Shore Hospital, Macquarie University, Australia
Responsible party
Anders Aneman (Conjoint Professor, South West Sydney Local Health District) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Nov 8, 2024
Start date
Jun 1, 2024
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Jun 1, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 8, 2024

Study contacts

Anders Aneman, MD, PhD, EDIC, FCICM
Contact
anders.aneman@health.nsw.gov.au
+61427915693
Lucy Coupland, Nurs Cert, BSci (hons), PhD
Contact
lucy.coupland@health.nsw.gov.au
+61419723330

Oversight

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

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