Ward based goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) in acute pancreatitis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Role of ward based goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) in acute pancreatitis: a feasibility randomised controlled trial
IRAS ID
221872
Contact name
Brian Davidson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 3 months, 31 days
Research summary
Acute pancreatitis, inflammation of pancreas, occurs in18,000 people in the UK every year; around 6 out of 100 people die from it. There is no effective drug treatment for acute pancreatitis. The main treatment is to replace the salts and fluids which are lost from the leaky blood vessels by giving fluids by a drip. Providing the right amount of fluid allows enough oxygen to be carried to the vital organs in the body so that they can work as normal and the patient can get better. Normally, we give fluid based on the pulse rate, blood pressure, and the amount of urine produced by the kidneys. In goal directed fluid therapy (GDFT), the amount of fluid required is worked out using a machine which calculates the amount of blood being pumped by the heart and the amount of oxygen in the blood. Although this is usually possible only in intensive care unit, the availability of small portable machines allows this to be done on the ward, although special training is required to perform this.
This study at the Royal Free London and Royal London Hospitals will be the first trial to use GDFT portable machine in the surgical ward. In this study, 25 participants will receive GDFT while 25 participants will receive standard therapy. So that the trial is fair, participants will be placed in one group or the other by chance (randomisation) and not by the doctor or patient deciding.
This study will find out whether it is possible and safe to use GDFT on normal wards to treat acute pancreatitis. It will also help to design a larger trial later on to show the effectiveness and costs of GDFT, which will determine whether GDFT in acute pancreatitis provides value for money.REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/1235
Date of REC Opinion
10 Aug 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion