Hyperhydration in Children With Shiga Toxin-Producing E. Coli Infection (HIKO STEC)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05219110 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : February 1, 2022
Last Update Posted : May 10, 2023
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) Infection Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome | Other: Infusion of 200% maintenance fluids as balanced crystalloid IV solution Other: Oral fluids; infusion of up to 110% maintenance fluids as balanced crystalloid IV solution | Phase 3 |
The hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is the most serious complication of high-risk Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection and the most common cause of acquired acute kidney injury in otherwise healthy children. HUS develops in up to 20% of children following STEC infection, 60% of whom require temporary renal replacement therapy (RRT); an additional 50% develop serious extrarenal complications. Although mortality from acute HUS is low (1-3%), it has remained constant for three decades and approximately 30% of HUS survivors experience long-term sequelae, chiefly chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and diabetes. There have been only three relatively small, randomized trials to prevent progression to HUS and/or to reduce kidney injury once HUS is established; none have demonstrated benefits, and none have been performed since 1999.
Recent cohort studies suggest that early intravascular volume expansion (hyperhydration) in STEC infected children could be nephroprotective if and when HUS occurs. However, more evidence is needed before hyperhydration supplants traditional 'wait and see' (i.e., conservative fluid management) reactive care approaches which focus on outpatient care and minimizing intravenous fluid administration to avoid fluid overload in children who do develop HUS. Here, we will confirm or refute the hypothesis that aggressive volume expansion, administered early in STEC infected children, is associated with better renal outcomes and fewer adverse events than conservative management by accomplishing three Specific Aims: (1) Determine the effectiveness of hyperhydration in decreasing the prevalence of Major Adverse Kidney Events by 30 days (defined as death, RRT, or sustained loss of kidney function at 30 days) in STEC-infected children versus conservative fluid management; (2) Determine the effectiveness and safety of hyperhydration in decreasing HUS and life-threatening, extrarenal complications in STEC-infected children versus conservative fluid management; (3) Create a biorepository that will be linked to our clinical data to identify prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in STEC-infected children.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 1040 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Crossover Assignment |
Intervention Model Description: | Cluster crossover |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Hyperhydration to Improve Kidney Outcomes in Children With Shiga Toxin-Producing E. Coli Infection: A Multinational Embedded Cluster Crossover Randomized Trial |
Actual Study Start Date : | September 19, 2022 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | August 31, 2026 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | August 31, 2027 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: Hyperhydration
In this study arm, all eligible children are admitted for the administration of intravenous fluids. The following specifics will form the basis of the fluid management protocol:
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Other: Infusion of 200% maintenance fluids as balanced crystalloid IV solution
Infusion of 200% of maintenance fluids x 24 hours provided, ideally, as a balanced crystalloid (PlasmaLyteTM, Ringer's Lactate) IV solution. Electrolytes and dextrose may be administered as required and desired by the clinical care team; customized solutions are permitted if so desired. Intravenous fluid solutions containing < 130 mEq/L sodium may increase risk for hyponatremia and may be less effective in achieving intravascular volume expansion and should be avoided. |
Active Comparator: Conservative Fluid Management
The conservative fluid management arm has been designed to align and integrate into existing local practice patterns. Implementation of this approach will allow institutions and their practitioners to choose their management of protocol eligible children. All children will undergo a protocolized baseline evaluation that includes reversal of dehydration (if present) and follow-up plan (see Pre-Pathway care). The fluid management decision in the ED (i.e., to treat dehydration) will be at the discretion of the clinical care team. In the absence of evidence of microangiopathy (i.e., normal urinalysis, LDH, hemoglobin and platelet counts, and creatinine concentrations), the decision to admit the child to hospital or discharge the child to home will be at the discretion of the clinical care team. If microangiopathy is present (i.e., abnormal urinalysis, LDH, hemoglobin or platelet counts, or creatinine concentrations) admission for monitoring will be required.
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Other: Oral fluids; infusion of up to 110% maintenance fluids as balanced crystalloid IV solution
Administration of less than or equal to 110% of maintenance fluids as oral or balanced crystalloid IV solution. |
- Major Adverse Kidney Events by 30 days (MAKE30) [ Time Frame: 30 days ]
- Death due to any cause censored at 30 days after enrollment OR
- Provision of RRT, any modality, within 30 days of trial enrollment OR
- Sustained loss of kidney function (100% increase of serum sCr from baseline at 30±7 days)
- Number of Participants with Significant Extrarenal Complications (life-threatening): [ Time Frame: 30 days ]a. Neurologic: i. Seizures requiring anticonvulsant therapy ii. Coma iii. Thrombotic or hemorrhagic stroke confirmed by neuroimaging b. Cardiac: i. Myocardial infarction ii. Myocarditis iii. Myocardial dysfunction iv. Arrhythmias requiring cardioversion or pharmacological anti-arrhythmic therapy c. Respiratory: i. Respiratory failure ii. Pleural effusions d. Gastrointestinal: i. Hyperglycemia requiring prolonged insulin therapy ii. Bowel obstruction/perforation requiring surgical repair iii. Intussusception requiring reduction iv. Acute cholecystitis v. Pancreatitis vi. Hepatitis/ liver failure vii. Ascites requiring paracentesis e. Infectious complications i. Bacteremia ii. Peritonitis
- Number of Participants who Develop HUS among those without it at randomization [ Time Frame: 30 days ]
- Anemia (hematocrit level <30%) AND
- Thrombocytopenia (platelet count <150 X 103/mm3) AND
- Renal azotemia (serum creatinine concentration >upper limit of reference range for age)
- Length of Stay [ Time Frame: 30 days ]
- Number of days as an inpatient
- Number of days in an intensive care unit (a unit capable of providing mechanical ventilation)
- Hospital-Free Days: Measured as the number of calendar days alive and out of the hospital between randomization (day 0) and day 30. Patients who die prior to hospital discharge will be recorded as zero hospital-free days.
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Score each hospital day
- # days with HUS with RRT
- # days with HUS without RRT
- # days in hospital - no HUS
- Number of Participants who Receive Transfusion Therapy [ Time Frame: 30 days ]
- Red Blood Cell
- Platelets
- Number of Participants who Receive Invasive Medical Procedures [ Time Frame: 30 days ]
- Mechanical ventilation
- Endotracheal intubation
- Thoracentesis, thoracotomy, ARDS
- Central venous catheter insertion
- Dialysis catheter insertion
- Therapeutic plasma exchange
- Other operative room surgical interventions

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 9 Months to 21 Years (Child, Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
In order to be eligible to participate in this study (i.e., to be enrolled in the relevant institutional clinical care pathway), an individual must meet all of the following criteria:
- Aged 9.0 months to <21 years at the time of informed consent.
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Evidence of high-risk STEC infecting pathogen defined by any of the following:
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Bloody diarrhea within the preceding 7 days
- Positive STEC culture OR
- Positive antigen/polymerase chain reaction test for toxin/gene type not otherwise specified OR
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Bloody or Non-bloody diarrhea within the preceding 7 days
•Presumptive diagnosis of HUS
- (meeting all 3 HUS criteria - anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal insufficiency) OR
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Non-bloody or no diarrhea
- Positive STEC culture for high-risk strain (i.e., O103, O104, O111, O113, O121, O145 or O157) OR
- Positive antigen/polymerase chain reaction test Stx2 toxin/gene
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Exclusion Criteria:
All individuals meeting any of the exclusion criteria at baseline will be excluded from study participation.
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Presence of Advanced HUS defined by:
- Hematocrit <30% AND
- Platelet count <150 x 103/mm3 AND
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Creatinine > 2.0 mg/dL (177 µmol/L)
- The presence of only 1 or 2 of these criteria will not result in patient exclusion, regardless of how close the 3rd criterion is to meeting the exclusion criteria.
- Prior episode of HUS or diagnosis of atypical HUS.
- Chronic disease limiting fluid volumes administered (e.g. impaired renal, liver, or cardiac function, chronic lung disease).
- Evidence of anuria (i.e., no urine output for > 24 hours).
- Hypoxemia requiring oxygen therapy
- Hypertensive emergency
- Greater than or equal to 10 days since onset of diarrhea or if no diarrhea then the onset of other symptoms.
- Patients with known pregnancy
- Patients or caregivers with language barriers impairing appropriate conduct of the study protocol.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT05219110
Contact: Study Manager | (801) 581-6410 | hikostec@hsc.utah.edu |

Principal Investigator: | Stephen Freedman, MDCM | University of Calgary |
Responsible Party: | University of Calgary |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT05219110 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
DMID 21-0042 R01AI165327 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) |
First Posted: | February 1, 2022 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | May 10, 2023 |
Last Verified: | May 2023 |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Child Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli Renal Replacement Therapy |
Acute Kidney Injury Ambulatory Care Emergency Department |
Infections Communicable Diseases Escherichia coli Infections Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome Water Intoxication Hemolysis Pathologic Processes Disease Attributes Enterobacteriaceae Infections Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections Bacterial Infections Bacterial Infections and Mycoses Uremia Kidney Diseases Urologic Diseases |
Female Urogenital Diseases Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications Urogenital Diseases Male Urogenital Diseases Anemia, Hemolytic Anemia Hematologic Diseases Thrombotic Microangiopathies Thrombocytopenia Blood Platelet Disorders Water-Electrolyte Imbalance Metabolic Diseases Poisoning Chemically-Induced Disorders Pharmaceutical Solutions |