Intravenous and oral rehydration of children with severe malnutrition and gastroenteritis

ISRCTN ISRCTN76149273
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN76149273
Secondary identifying numbers MRC Grant Refrence: MR/R018502/1
Submission date
23/07/2018
Registration date
08/08/2018
Last edited
16/01/2025
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims
Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a severe problem for African children. It can lead to the development of gastroenteritis, diarrhoea and dehydration, which leads to hospitalisation. However, on the current treatment recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the outcome is poor, with 20% of children dying during hospital admission.
A standard treatment for gastroenteritis, which leads to dehydration, is rehydration therapy, given by either an IV drip, which is used for more severe cases, or oral salt solutions, which is used for less severe cases or as a follow-on treatment after using a drip. The WHO guidelines for children with dehydration as a result of diarrhoea (which can be a complication of SAM, but also a result of bacterial or viral infections) recommend using oral salt solutions, with restricted use of intravenous drip therapy; however, this is controversial, as these recommendations are not based on results from clinical trials.
The aim of this study is to compare the recommended treatments for the rehydration of children with SAM with the standard treatments for the rehydration of children without SAM, to determine if these can be safely used for and improve the outcome of children with SAM.

Who can participate?
African children aged 6 months to 12 years who are hospitalised with SAM and have gastroenteritis leading to dehydration

What does the study involve?
For children with severe dehydration, we will compare the effects of giving them fluid via a drip, either quickly or slowly, with giving them the WHO SAM recommended regime, which involves using oral rehydration salts (ORS) and only starting drip treatment if the child goes into shock.
For children with less severe dehydration, we will compare the effects of using standard ORS treatment, which has a higher amount of sodium, with an ORS called ReSoMal (designed specifically for SAM), which has a lower sodium content.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The benefit of participating is that the children will be closely monitored throughout, so that any clinical deterioration can be identified at the earliest opportunity and appropriate therapy initiated. The possible risks of participating are:
1. Drip insertion and taking blood for laboratory tests may lead to pain, swelling or infection at the site of the drip; however, this will be minimised by careful technique and regular inspection
2. Liberal intravenous rehydration and salt-rich solution has the potential to cause malnourished hearts to go into pump failure or lead to harmful fluid accumulation
To minimise these risks, the nurses and doctors will monitor children very closely to look for side effects and if detected the treatments may be stopped. The trial sites in Africa have considerable experience with management of very ill children and this will serve minimise the risks to the patients in the trial

Where is the study run from?
KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme (Kenya)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
October 2018 to October 2024

Who is funding the study?
Medical Research Council (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Ayub Mpoya
ampoya@kemri-wellcome.org

Contact information

Prof Kathryn Maitland
Scientific

Wellcome Centre for Clinical Tropical Medicine
London
W2 1PG
United Kingdom

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0002-0007-0645
Phone +254733411022
Email kathryn.maitland@gmail.com
Mr Emmanuel Oguda
Public

KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme
Kilifi
-
United Kingdom

Phone +254 735 229 037
Email EOguda@kemri-wellcome.org

Study information

Study designInterventional open multi-centre phase II randomised controlled trial with a factorial design
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet ISRCTN76149273_PIS_V3.0_21Oct2022.pdf
Scientific titleGASTROenteritis: Intravenous and oral rehydration of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition
Study acronymGASTROSAM
Study hypothesisFor children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) with severe dehydration due to diarrhoea, we hypothesize that standard intravenous regime WHO Plan C (100 ml/kg over 3-5 hours) used for non-SAM gastroenteritis with severe dehydration will result in better outcomes than the current very conservative SAM rehydration recommendations.
In addition, we propose that the rate of rehydration may be critical and hypothesize that 100 ml/kg over 8 hours in SAM children will result in fewer fluid related adverse effects than rapid World Health Organization (WHO) Plan C guideline.
We also propose that standard oral rehydration solutions (ORS) may be equally as effective with fewer side effects than low salt ReSoMal ORS recommended by WHO.
Ethics approval(s)Imperial College Research Ethics committee (ICREC), 20/03/2018, 18IC4427
Mbale Regional Referral Hospital Research Ethics Committee, submitted for approval 17/07/2018
ConditionSevere acute malnutrition
InterventionRandomisation lists are generated and kept at the MRC CTU at UCL, London. The randomisation envelopes are prepared before the trial at the Clinical trials facility, KWTRP, Kilifi. These contain the actual allocation visible only once opened. The cards will be numbered consecutively and opened in numerical order.
The trial includes 2 strata:
Stratum A includes children with severe dehydration only. Children will be randomised in a 1:1:2 ratio to compare:
1. WHO Plan C arm: Rapid intravenous (IV) rehydration as per WHO Plan C (usually for non-SAM) children (100 ml/kg Ringers Lactate (RL) over 3-6 hours according to age including boluses (20 ml/kg) for those with shock (experimental))
2. Slow Rehydration arm: A slower IV rehydration regimen (100 ml/kg RL given over 8 hours and no boluses (experimental)).
3. WHO SAM arm: rehydration regime involves no intravenous rehydration and rehydration with ReSomMal Oral rehydration solution (ORS) with IV boluses of RL only for children with shock (standard of care)
Stratum B includes all children with some dehydration and all those with severe dehydration post IV rehydration, randomised in a 1:1 ratio to compare:
1. Standard WHO ORS given for non-SAM (experimental) versus
2. WHO SAM-recommended low-sodium ReSomMal
The trial will run for a total of 18 months for both strata.
Intervention typeMixed
Primary outcome measureCurrent primary outcome measures as of 07/08/2023:
1. For the intravenous rehydration strategy, mortality at 96 h after enrolment
2. For the oral rehydration strategy, change in plasma sodium levels, measured by standard
laboratory clinical chemistry analyser from baseline (time of enrolment) to 24 h after enrolment
_____

Previous primary outcome measures:
1. For intravenous rehydration, urine output (ml/kg/hour) will be assessed as a surrogate marker of rehydration efficacy 8 hours after treatment
2. Change in plasma sodium levels, measured by standard laboratory clinical chemistry analyser at the baseline (time of enrolment) and after 24 hours
Secondary outcome measures1. Evidence of pulmonary oedema or heart failure during period of hospital admission:
1.1. Pulmonary oedema defined as developed of bilateral bi-basal crepitations of lungs on clinical examination
1.2. Heart failure defined as development of signs of severe tachycardia, elevated jugular venous pressure and de novo or increasing hepatomegaly
2. Changes in sodium from post-IV levels for those in Stratum A, measured using standard laboratory clinical chemistry analyser at the baseline and after intravenous rehydration is completed
3. Perturbations of electrolyte abnormalities (severe hyponatraemia < 125 mmol/l or hypokalaemia < 2.5 mol/l), measured by standard laboratory clinical chemistry analyser at the baseline and at any time during admission
4. Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) change, measured using MUAC tape (supplied by UNICEF) at the baseline and day 7
5. Survival at day 28 (child is confirmed to be alive at day 28)
Overall study start date20/07/2017
Overall study end date31/10/2024

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupChild
Lower age limit60 Days
Upper age limit12 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participantsChildren aged 272 children in the stratum with severe dehydration and an additional 64 children with some dehydration; overall 336 children
Participant inclusion criteriaSevere dehydration - Stratum A:
1. Aged 60 days to 12 years
2. Severe malnutrition defined as any of the following: Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) <11.5 cm, weight for height Zscore (< -3SD), or signs of kwashiorkor
3. Gastroenteritis, defined as > 3 loose stools per day
4. Signs of severe dehydration, defined (as per WHO definition) as at least one of the following: unable to drink, Alert Voice Pain Unresponsive scale (AVPU) < A, sunken eyes, reduced skin pinch (>2 seconds) or inability to take or retain oral fluids, and/or shock (defined as patient with cold peripheries, weak and fast pulse and capillary refill time > 3 seconds)

Moderate/some dehydration - Stratum B:
1. Aged 60 days to 12 years
2. Severe acute malnutrition criteria, complicated by dehydrating diarrhoea (defined as > 3 loose stools per day)
3. Some to moderate dehydration or completing management of severe dehydration. Some to moderate dehydration defined as two of the following: restlessness, irritability, thirst, sunken eyes or skin pinch goes back slowly
Participant exclusion criteria1. Diarrhoea lasting more than 14 days
2. Known congenital or rheumatic heart disease
3. Refusal of consent
Recruitment start date02/09/2019
Recruitment end date30/08/2024

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Kenya
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Uganda

Study participating centres

Mbale Regional Referral Hospital
Pallisa Road Zone
P.O. Box 921
Mbale
-
Uganda
Soroti Regional Referral Hospital
Department of Paediatrics
P.O. Box 289
Soroti
-
Uganda
Kilifi County Hospital
Hospital Road
PO Box 230
Kilifi
-
Kenya
Coast General Teaching Hospital
Madakara Road
Mombasa
-
Kenya
Nilefa Kiji MSF Hospital
Behind CBN Quarters
Kushari
Damboa Road
Maiduguri
-
Nigeria
Hôpital du district du Magaria
Région de Zinder
Département de Magaria
Magaria
-
Niger
Hôpital de district de Madarounfa
Region de Maradi
Département de Madarounfa
Maradi
-
Niger

Sponsor information

Imperial College, London
University/education

Joint Research Compliance Office, Room 221, Medical School Building, St Marys Campus
Norfolk Place
London
W2 1PG
England
United Kingdom

Phone +4420 7594 1188
Email jrco@ic.ac.uk
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/041kmwe10

Funders

Funder type

Government

Medical Research Council
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
Medical Research Council (United Kingdom), UK Medical Research Council, MRC
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date30/04/2025
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryData sharing statement to be made available at a later date
Publication and dissemination planResults will be published in peer review open access journals. The results from this trial will be disseminated locally through community meetings and national meetings with the wider healthcare professional community. These systems have been developed for dissemination of MRC FEAST trial results, and we plan to extend these with the ongoing TRACT trial and to this proposed trial (GASTROSAM).
The lead investigators in Uganda will discuss with their Ministry of Health about the proposed trial. A summary or evidence brief will be produced to highlight the trial results and next steps required to inform rationale evidence-based guidelines. At that stage since the data generated from the study will not be immediate able to inform treatment guidelines rather it will generate new data, which will help inform the design of a larger Phase III trial.

We have already had teleconferences with members of the epidemic consortium and WHO GOARN (Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network). We have shared systematic reviews we undertook in preparation of this trial. The current rehydration management guidelines for children with severe malnutrition are under intense speculation currently as a potential reason for the poor outcome in the current cholera epidemics. Through these connections will seek meetings with WHO, MSF and UNICEF and other international policy makers to discuss the results and subsequent trial plans.
IPD sharing planThe data sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Participant information sheet version 3.0 21/10/2022 15/04/2024 No Yes
Protocol file version 3.0 19/10/2022 15/04/2024 No No
Statistical Analysis Plan version 3.0 19/10/2022 15/04/2024 No No
Statistical Analysis Plan version 4.0 17/12/2024 16/01/2025 No No

Additional files

ISRCTN76149273_Protocol_V3.0_19Oct2022.pdf
ISRCTN76149273_PIS_V3.0_21Oct2022.pdf
ISRCTN76149273_SAP_V3.0_19Oct2022.pdf
ISRCTN76149273 GASTROSAM_SAP_v4.0.pdf

Editorial Notes

16/01/2025: The statistical analysis plan v4.0 was uploaded as an additional file.
15/04/2024: The protocol (not peer reviewed), statistical analysis plan and patient information sheet were uploaded as additional files.
07/08/2023: The following changes have been made:
1. The recruitment end date has been changed from 30/04/2023 to 30/08/2024.
2. The primary outcome measures have been changed.
3. The target number of participants has been changed from "Children aged 136 children in the stratum with severe dehydration and an additional 64 children with some dehydration; overall 200 children" to "Children aged 272 children in the stratum with severe dehydration and an additional 64 children with some dehydration; overall 336 children" and the target enrolment updated accordingly.
4. Mulago National Referral Hospital has been removed from the study participating centres and Kilifi County Hospital, Coast General Teaching Hospital, Nilefa Kiji MSF Hospital, Hôpital du district du Magaria and Hôpital de district de Madarounfa have been added.
5. Kenya, Niger and Nigeria have been added to the countries of recruitment.
03/05/2023: The public contact was updated.
11/04/2023: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The overall trial end date was changed from 31/10/2023 to 31/10/2024.
2. The intention to publish date was changed from 30/04/2024 to 30/04/2025.
13/07/2022: Recruitment has been resumed.
12/07/2022: The following changes have been made:
1. The recruitment end date has been changed from 30/09/2021 to 30/04/2023.
2. The overall trial end date has been changed from 31/12/2021 to 31/10/2023 and the plain English summary updated accordingly.
3. The intention to publish date has been changed from 30/06/2022 to 30/04/2024.
17/04/2020: Due to current public health guidance, recruitment for this study has been paused.
07/04/2020: The intention to publish date has been changed from 30/04/2021 to 30/06/2022.
06/04/2020: The following changes have been made:
1. The recruitment start date has been changed from 01/09/2018 to 02/09/2019.
2. The recruitment end date has been changed from 31/03/2020 to 30/09/2021.
3. The overall trial end date has been changed from 30/04/2020 to 31/12/2021.
4. The public contact has been chjanged.
09/08/2018: internal review