High-risk pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening condition requiring immediate reperfusion therapy. Full-dose systemic thrombolysis is recommended as first-line treatment, but its use is limited by the risk of major bleeding, including intracranial hemorrhage. Reduced-dose systemic thrombolysis may reduce bleeding while maintaining clinical efficacy, but this strategy has not been adequately evaluated in patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism. REDSTEM is an international, multicenter, randomized, adaptive, open-label, blinded-endpoint phase 4 trial comparing reduced-dose alteplase with standard full-dose alteplase in adults with acute high-risk pulmonary embolism. The trial will assess whether reduced-dose alteplase preserves early clinical efficacy while reducing severe clinically significant bleeding. Participants will be followed for up to 12 months.
Systemic thrombolysis is recommended as first-line reperfusion therapy for high-risk pulmonary embolism. However, bleeding complications limit its use in clinical practice and contribute to undertreatment of eligible patients. Existing evidence from small randomized trials, observational studies, and meta-analyses suggests that lower-dose thrombolysis may improve safety while maintaining efficacy, but previous studies have included mixed-risk pulmonary embolism populations and only a limited number of patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism. REDSTEM was designed to evaluate whether a reduced-dose alteplase strategy can provide a more favorable balance between efficacy and safety compared with standard full-dose alteplase in patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism. The study uses randomized treatment allocation, blinded endpoint adjudication, independent safety monitoring, and an adaptive design allowing sample-size re-estimation if required. The trial includes early clinical assessments during the acute phase and follow-up through 12 months to evaluate clinical outcomes, safety, functional recovery, quality of life, and health care resource utilization.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
400
Alteplase 0.6 mg/kg body weight, maximum 50 mg, administered as an intravenous infusion over 15 minutes
Alteplase 1.5 mg/kg body weight, maximum 100 mg, administered as a 10 mg intravenous bolus over 1 to 2 minutes followed by 90 mg as an intravenous infusion over 2 hours.
Rigshospitalet
Copenhagen, Denmark
Haukeland University Hospital
Bergen, Norway
Drammen Hospital
Drammen, Norway
Ostfold Hisptal
Grålum, Norway
Akershus University Hospital
Lörenskog, Norway
Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål
Oslo, Norway
Stavanger University Hospital
Stavanger, Norway
Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Gothenburg, Västra Götaland County, Sweden
Falun Hospital
Falun, Sweden
Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra
Gothenburg, Sweden
...and 13 more locations
Incidence of composite efficacy endpoint
Incidence of a composite endpoint comprising all-cause mortality within 7 days, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and/or veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation within 7 days, recurrent pulmonary embolism within 7 days, clinical deterioration within 24 hours, and lack of clinical improvement at 6 hours.
Time frame: Within 7 days after randomization
Key secondary endpoint - Incidence of severe clinically significant bleeding
Incidence of severe clinically significant bleeding, defined as major bleeding according to International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis criteria or bleeding requiring urgent medical intervention.
Time frame: Within 7 days after randomization
All-cause mortality
Incidence of death from any cause.
Time frame: At 7 days and 30 days after randomization
Pulmonary embolism-related mortality
Incidence of pulmonary embolism-related death.
Time frame: At 7 days and 30 days after randomization
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and/or VA-ECMO
Incidence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and/or veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Time frame: Within 7 days after randomization
Incidence of clinical deterioration
Incidence of life-threatening hemodynamic or respiratory decline requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation, endotracheal intubation, or VA-ECMO, or an increase in SCAI SHOCK stage after investigational medicinal product administration.
Time frame: Within 24 hours after randomization
Lack of clinical improvement assessed by SCAI SHOCK stage and oxygen requirement
Incidence of unchanged SCAI SHOCK stage or unchanged or rising fraction of inspired oxygen required to maintain oxygen saturation of at least 94%.
Time frame: At 6 hours after randomization
Time to clinical stabilization based on predefined hemodynamic and respiratory criteria
Time from randomization to the time point at which predefined hemodynamic or respiratory stabilization criteria have been continuously fulfilled for at least 30 minutes
Time frame: From randomization until clinical stabilization, assessed up to 7 days after randomization
Incidence of recurrent pulmonary embolism
Incidence of objectively confirmed recurrent pulmonary embolism.
Time frame: At 7 days and 30 days after randomization
Initiation of invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation
Incidence of initiation of invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation.
Time frame: Within 7 days after randomization
Win ratio for efficacy
Win ratio based on all-cause mortality, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and/or VA-ECMO, clinical deterioration, lack of clinical improvement, recurrent pulmonary embolism, and time to clinical stabilization.
Time frame: Within 7 days after randomization
Net clinical benefit
Composite net clinical benefit including severe clinically significant bleeding, all-cause mortality, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and/or VA-ECMO, recurrent pulmonary embolism, clinical deterioration, and lack of clinical improvement.
Time frame: Within 7 days after randomization
Rescue treatment
Need for rescue treatment, defined as additional alteplase, catheter-directed intervention, surgical embolectomy, or VA-ECMO before stabilization.
Time frame: Before clinical stabilization, up to 7 days after randomization
ICU or high-dependency unit length of stay in days
Length of stay in intensive care unit and/or high-dependency unit.
Time frame: Within 30 days after randomization
Hospital length of stay
Length of hospital stay.
Time frame: Within 30 days after randomization
Major bleeding
Incidence of major bleeding according to International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis criteria.
Time frame: At 48 hours, 7 days, and 30 days after randomization
Bleeding requiring urgent medical intervention
Incidence of severe bleeding requiring urgent medical intervention.
Time frame: At 48 hours, 7 days, and 30 days after randomization
Intracerebral bleeding
Incidence of intracerebral bleeding.
Time frame: Within 7 days after randomization
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.