Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is a circulatory cardio supplementation technique; it therefore makes it possible to compensate for a defective cardiac or cardio-respiratory function. ECLS nevertheless remains a temporary assistance technique pending a potential recovery of cardiac function, or it can be used to direct patients towards a heart transplant or long-term circulatory assistance (Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) or Total Heart). In patients with complete or partial recovery of cardiac and circulatory function, ECLS withdrawal may be considered. Withdrawal from ECLS remains a delicate phase and the risk of failure is high. The mechanism of action of levosimendan, a drug that increases the contractility of the heart, suggests that it would improve the heart-vessel connection and reduce the rate of ECLS withdrawal failure. The effect of levosimendan is maximal 24 to 48 hours after the end of the infusion and has a prolonged period of action. The objective is to evaluate the efficacy of levosimendan administration (0.2 µg/kg/min over 24 hours) - versus placebo - prior to ECLS removal on the rate of withdrawal failure in patients under ECLS.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
82
Levosimendan 2.5mg/ml, solution to be diluted for infusion Dilution in a 500ml bag of 5% Glucose The product is administered as a continuous infusion for 24 hours at an initial rate of 0.2 µg/kg/min
mixture of 12 vitamins The dilution of the treatment is done in a 500ml bag of 5% Glucose The product is administered as a continuous infusion for 24 hours at an initial rate of 0.2 µg/kg/min
CHU Dijon Bourgogne
Dijon, France
ECLS withdrawal failure
Withdrawal failure is defined as the absence of ECLS discontinuation within 48 hours of randomization or the use of temporary circulatory assistance such as ECLS, Impella® pump or intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) or death
Time frame: 7 days after ECLS removal
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