Predicting which children benefit from fluid treatment after heart surgery

Parameters Associated With Metabolic Response to Volume Expansion in Children Post-operative of Cardiac Surgery

Observational University Hospital, Bordeaux · NCT07255469

This study will test whether a simple blood gas ratio (Pv–aCO2/CavO2) can tell which children in intensive care after cardiac surgery will increase their oxygen use after a 10 ml/kg fluid bolus.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment110 (estimated)
Ages0 Days to 15 Years
SexAll
SponsorUniversity Hospital, Bordeaux Academic / other
Locations8 sites (Bron, France and 7 other locations)
Trial IDNCT07255469 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Researchers will enroll children up to 15 years old in pediatric intensive care after cardiac surgery who have functioning arterial and central venous lines and for whom a 10 ml/kg fluid bolus is prescribed. Baseline arterial and central venous blood gases will be collected to calculate the Pv–aCO2/CavO2 ratio, and oxygen consumption (VO2) will be measured before and after the fluid expansion. The main analysis will determine how accurately the baseline Pv–aCO2/CavO2 ratio predicts a significant increase in VO2 (metabolic fluid responsiveness). The study is observational and uses routine clinical care and timed blood sampling without altering standard treatment decisions.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Children ≤15 years old in a participating pediatric ICU after cardiac surgery who have arterial and central venous lines and are prescribed a 10 ml/kg fluid expansion.

Not a fit: Preterm infants under 37 weeks corrected gestational age, patients too unstable to delay care or without required vascular access, and those with contraindications to supine positioning or echocardiography are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, clinicians could target fluid therapy to children who will truly improve oxygen delivery and avoid harmful fluid overload in others.

How similar studies have performed: Similar blood-gas–based markers have shown promise in adult studies, but the Pv–aCO2/CavO2 ratio has not been validated for metabolic fluid responsiveness in children.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age less than or equal to 15 years old
* Hospitalization in a pediatric intensive care unit after cardiac surgery
* Prescription by the attending physician of a fluid expansion of 10ml/kg
* Prescription of arterial and venous blood gas before and after the volume expansion to help manage acute circulatory failure
* Patient implanted with a functioning arterial line
* Patient implanted with a functioning central venous line in the superior vena cava territory

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patient less than 37 weeks' corrected gestational age
* Hemodynamic instability making the delay necessary for any test dangerous
* Supine position contraindicated or deleterious
* Impairment of echocardiographic acoustic window or restless patient making ultrasonography impossible
* Opposition to participate expressed by the patient or by a parent or legal guardian

Where this trial is running

Bron, France and 7 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Circulatory Failure / Shock StateFluid TherapyCirculatory failureCritical CareEchocardiographyFluid therapyFluid responsivenessGoal-directed fluid management
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.