SQUEEZE Trial: A Trial to Determine Whether Septic Shock Reversal is Quicker in Pediatric Patients Randomized to an Early Goal Directed Fluid Sparing Strategy vs. Usual Care

SQUEEZE Trial: A Trial to Determine Whether Septic Shock Reversal is Quicker in Pediatric Patients Randomized to an Early Goal Directed Fluid Sparing Strategy vs. Usual Care

The purpose of the SQUEEZE Trial is to determine which fluid resuscitation strategy results in the best outcomes for children treated for suspected or confirmed septic shock. In this study, eligible children will be randomized to either the 'Usual Care Arm' or the 'Fluid Sparing Arm'. Children will receive treatment according to current ACCM Septic Shock Resuscitation Guidelines, with the assigned resuscitation strategy used to guide administration of further fluid boluses as well as the timing of initiation and escalation of vasoactive medications to achieve ACCM recommended hemodynamic targets.

Please see published pilot trial protocol for more information about the SQUEEZE Trial and rationale for this study.

Inclusion Criteria:

Inclusion Criteria for 1 and 3 must be answered YES to be eligible for study.

• Age 29 days to less than 18 years of age

• Patient has Persistent Signs of Shock including one or more of the following:

  • Vasoactive Medication Dependence
  • Hypotension (Systolic Blood Pressure and/or Mean Blood Pressure less than the 5th percentile for age)
  • Abnormal Perfusion (2 or more of: abnormal capillary refill, tachycardia, decreased level of consciousness, decreased urine output)

• Suspected or Confirmed Septic Shock (Shock due to Suspected or Confirmed Infectious Cause)

• Patient has received initial fluid resuscitation of: Minimum of 40 mL/kg of isotonic crystalloid (0.9% Normal Saline and/or Ringer's Lactate) and/or colloid (5% albumin) as fluid boluses within the previous 6 hours for patients weighing less than 50 kg, OR Minimum of 2 litres (2000 mL) of isotonic crystalloid (0.9% Normal Saline and/or Ringer's Lactate) and/or colloid (5% albumin) as fluid boluses within the previous 6 hours for patients weighing 50 kg or more.

• Patient has Fluid Refractory Septic Shock as defined by the Presence of all of 2a, 2b, and 2c.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
• Patient requiring resuscitation in the Operating Room (OR) or Post-Anesthetic Care Unit (PACU)
• Full active resuscitative treatment not within the goals of care
• Shock Secondary to Cause other than Sepsis (i.e. obvious signs of cardiogenic shock, anaphylactic shock, hemorrhagic shock, spinal shock)
• Previous enrolment in this trial, where known by the research team