This prospective, multicenter, single-arm, open-label interventional pilot study aims to evaluate the short-term physiological effects of intravenous anisodamine on sublingual microcirculation and vascular-waterfall parameters in adult patients with septic shock.
Eligible patients will have septic shock according to Sepsis-3 criteria, will require norepinephrine support after adequate fluid resuscitation, and will be receiving invasive mechanical ventilation and PiCCO-based hemodynamic monitoring. After baseline assessment, participants will receive intravenous anisodamine according to the study protocol. Anisodamine will be administered as a loading dose of 0.5 mg/kg within 3 minutes, with a minimum dose of 20 mg and a maximum dose of 40 mg, followed by continuous infusion at 0.02-0.1 mg/kg/hour, with a maximum total daily dose of 200 mg.
Sublingual microcirculatory variables, including microvascular flow index, perfused vessel density, proportion of perfused vessels, and heterogeneity index, as well as vascular-waterfall parameters, including estimated critical closing pressure, estimated mean systemic filling pressure, and the Pcc-Pmsf gradient, will be measured at baseline, 3 hours, and 6 hours after initiation of anisodamine. Systemic hemodynamic, perfusion, vasopressor, PiCCO-derived variables, and safety outcomes will also be collected.
The primary objective is to characterize immediate changes in sublingual microcirculation and vascular-waterfall physiology after anisodamine administration and to provide preliminary data for future controlled studies.
Age 18-85 years.
Diagnosis of septic shock according to Sepsis-3 criteria, defined as suspected or documented infection with vasopressor requirement to maintain mean arterial pressure ≥65 mmHg and serum lactate >2 mmol/L after adequate fluid resuscitation.
Enrollment within 24 hours after diagnosis of septic shock or within 24 hours after ICU admission for septic shock.
Receiving invasive mechanical ventilation at the time of enrollment.
Shock mainly caused by non-septic etiologies, including cardiogenic, hypovolemic, obstructive, hemorrhagic, or anaphylactic shock.
Expected death or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment within 24 hours.
Known contraindications to anisodamine or anticholinergic therapy, including glaucoma, acute phase of intracranial hemorrhage, elevated intracranial pressure, untreated bowel obstruction, or prostatic enlargement without urinary catheterization.
Known allergy or hypersensitivity to anisodamine or any component of the study drug.
First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College
Lead sponsor
The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University
Collaborator