Effects of Intravenous Acetaminophen on Body Temperature and Hemodynamic Responses in Febrile Critically Ill Adults

Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of intravenous acetaminophen to placebo on body temperature and hemodynamic (heart rate and blood pressure) responses in febrile critically ill adult patients. There are limited data to explain the variable and unpredictable antipyretic and hemodynamic response to acetaminophen in febrile ICU patients. The complex pathophysiology of critically ill patients, co-morbid conditions, the effect of multiple pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic care interventions, and/or the potential interferences with absorption of enteral or rectal formulations may be related to variations in the antipyretic response to acetaminophen. It is necessary for clinicians to have a better understanding of the therapy response and potential adverse effects of this commonly administered medication, especially the recently available IV formulation, in critically ill patients. Further research of the antipyretic response to acetaminophen in critically ill patients is warranted to inform evidence-based practice guidelines for fever management. Further randomized, placebo-controlled studies of hemodynamic responses to IV acetaminophen are also warranted. Primary Hypothesis: There is a significant reduction in time-weighted average core body temperature over 4 hours after administration of IV acetaminophen compared to placebo in febrile critically ill patients. Secondary Hypotheses: 1. There is a significant reduction in time-weighted average heart rate over 4 hours after administration of IV acetaminophen compared to placebo in febrile critically ill patients. 2. There is a significant reduction in time-weighted mean arterial pressure over 4 hours after administration of IV acetaminophen compared to placebo in febrile critically ill patients. Adult patients with fever (≥ 38.3ºCentigrade/101ºFarenheit) in the intensive care unit will be screened for eligibility and enrolled after informed consent. Patients will be randomized to receive IV acetaminophen 1 gram or normal saline 100 mLs. Body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure will be measured at baseline and during the 4 hours post study drug administration.

Timeline

Start

2013-09

Primary completion

2015-08

Completion

2015-08

Outcome

Met primary endpoint

registry analysis (superiority test); Normal Saline Placebo vs Acetaminophen; p = 0.002; Mean Difference (Final Values) -0.47 (95% CI -0.76 to -0.18); ANCOVA NCT01869699 ↗

Publications

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• Background Lee BH, Inui D, Suh GY, Kim JY, Kwon JY, Park J, Tada K, Tanaka K, Ietsugu K, Uehara K, Dote K, Tajimi K, Morita K, Matsuo K, Hoshino K, Hosokawa K, Lee KH, Lee KM, Takatori M, Nishimura M, Sanui M, Ito M, Egi M, Honda N, Okayama N, Shime N, Tsuruta R, Nogami S, Yoon SH, Fujitani S, Koh SO, Takeda S, Saito S, Hong SJ, Yamamoto T, Yokoyama T, Yamaguchi T, Nishiyama T, Igarashi T, Kakihana Y, Koh Y; Fever and Antipyretic in Critically ill patients Evaluation (FACE) Study Group. Association of body temperature and antipyretic treatments with mortality of critically ill patients with and without sepsis: multi-centered prospective observational study. Crit Care. 2012 Feb 28;16(1):R33. doi: 10.1186/cc11211.
• Background Laupland KB, Shahpori R, Kirkpatrick AW, Ross T, Gregson DB, Stelfox HT. Occurrence and outcome of fever in critically ill adults. Crit Care Med. 2008 May;36(5):1531-5. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0b013e318170efd3.
• Background Circiumaru B, Baldock G, Cohen J. A prospective study of fever in the intensive care unit. Intensive Care Med. 1999 Jul;25(7):668-73. doi: 10.1007/s001340050928.
• Background Frankenfield DC, Smith JS Jr, Cooney RN, Blosser SA, Sarson GY. Relative association of fever and injury with hypermetabolism in critically ill patients. Injury. 1997 Nov-Dec;28(9-10):617-21. doi: 10.1016/s0020-1383(97)00117-4.
• Background Thompson HJ, Kagan SH. Clinical management of fever by nurses: doing what works. J Adv Nurs. 2011 Feb;67(2):359-70. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05506.x. Epub 2010 Nov 2.
• Background Niven DJ, Stelfox HT, Laupland KB. Antipyretic therapy in febrile critically ill adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Crit Care. 2013 Jun;28(3):303-10. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2012.09.009. Epub 2012 Nov 14.
• Background de Maat MM, Tijssen TA, Bruggemann RJ, Ponssen HH. Paracetamol for intravenous use in medium--and intensive care patients: pharmacokinetics and tolerance. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2010 Jul;66(7):713-9. doi: 10.1007/s00228-010-0806-5. Epub 2010 Mar 19.
• Background Kett DH, Breitmeyer JB, Ang R, Royal MA. A randomized study of the efficacy and safety of intravenous acetaminophen vs. intravenous placebo for the treatment of fever. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2011 Jul;90(1):32-9. doi: 10.1038/clpt.2011.98. Epub 2011 May 4.
• Background Mackenzie I, Forrest K, Thompson F, Marsh R. Effects of acetaminophen administration to patients in intensive care. Intensive Care Med. 2000 Sep;26(9):1408. doi: 10.1007/s001340000614. No abstract available.
• Background Boyle M, Hundy S, Torda TA. Paracetamol administration is associated with hypotension in the critically ill. Aust Crit Care. 1997 Dec;10(4):120-2. doi: 10.1016/s1036-7314(97)70414-4.
• Background Boyle M, Nicholson L, O'Brien M, Flynn GM, Collins DW, Walsh WR, Bihari D. Paracetamol induced skin blood flow and blood pressure changes in febrile intensive care patients: An observational study. Aust Crit Care. 2010 Nov;23(4):208-14. doi: 10.1016/j.aucc.2010.06.004. Epub 2010 Jul 22.
• Background Hersch M, Raveh D, Izbicki G. Effect of intravenous propacetamol on blood pressure in febrile critically ill patients. Pharmacotherapy. 2008 Oct;28(10):1205-10. doi: 10.1592/phco.28.10.1205.

Drugs

Indications

No indication recorded.