Ulinastatin on Systemic Immune-Inflammation in Patients With Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infection

Summary

Complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI) triggers dysregulated systemic inflammation and immune paralysis leading to high organ failure and death risk. Ulinastatin is a protease inhibitor with anti-inflammatory properties, but its dose-related effects on immune-inflammation of cIAI patients remain unclear. This single-center single-blinded three-arm randomized controlled pilot study enrolls adult cIAI patients (≥18 years, SOFA≥2) at Fujian Medical University Union Hospital. Eligible patients are randomized into low-dose ulinastatin, high-dose ulinastatin and normal saline placebo groups (1:1:1, 5 days intravenous treatment plus standard care), total planned enrollment 165 participants after 10% dropout adjustment. Primary endpoint is Day5 change of Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII); secondary outcomes include serial inflammatory biomarkers, SOFA variation, organ dysfunction, hospitalization duration, 28-day mortality and safety profiles. This pilot aims to clarify ulinastatin's immune-modulating effect and inform future large RCT design.

Timeline

Start

2026-10-30

Primary completion

2027-12-31

Completion

2028-06-30

Publications

• Background Chen L, Jin S, Yang M, Gui C, Yuan Y, Dong G, Zeng W, Zeng J, Hu G, Qiao L, Wang J, Xi Y, Sun J, Wang N, Wang M, Xing L, Yang Y, Teng Y, Hou J, Bi Q, Cai H, Zhang G, Hong Y, Zhang Z. Integrated Single Cell and Bulk RNA-Seq Analysis Revealed Immunomodulatory Effects of Ulinastatin in Sepsis: A Multicenter Cohort Study. Front Immunol. 2022 May 11;13:882774. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.882774. eCollection 2022.
• Background Karnad DR, Bhadade R, Verma PK, Moulick ND, Daga MK, Chafekar ND, Iyer S. Intravenous administration of ulinastatin (human urinary trypsin inhibitor) in severe sepsis: a multicenter randomized controlled study. Intensive Care Med. 2014 Jun;40(6):830-8. doi: 10.1007/s00134-014-3278-8. Epub 2014 Apr 16.
• Background Lim YP, Bendelja K, Opal SM, Siryaporn E, Hixson DC, Palardy JE. Correlation between mortality and the levels of inter-alpha inhibitors in the plasma of patients with severe sepsis. J Infect Dis. 2003 Sep 15;188(6):919-26. doi: 10.1086/377642. Epub 2003 Aug 26.
• Background Aziz MH, Sideras K, Aziz NA, Mauff K, Haen R, Roos D, Saida L, Suker M, van der Harst E, Mieog JS, Bonsing BA, Klaver Y, Koerkamp BG, van Eijck CH. The Systemic-immune-inflammation Index Independently Predicts Survival and Recurrence in Resectable Pancreatic Cancer and its Prognostic Value Depends on Bilirubin Levels: A Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study. Ann Surg. 2019 Jul;270(1):139-146. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000002660.
• Background Feier CVI, Motoc A, Muntean C, Vonica RC, Gaborean V, Olariu S, Murariu MS. Systemic inflammatory indices and age-dependent severity in acute appendicitis: a retrospective cohort study. Front Immunol. 2025 Jul 15;16:1620459. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1620459. eCollection 2025.
• Background Liu D, Huang SY, Sun JH, Zhang HC, Cai QL, Gao C, Li L, Cao J, Xu F, Zhou Y, Guan CX, Jin SW, Deng J, Fang XM, Jiang JX, Zeng L. Sepsis-induced immunosuppression: mechanisms, diagnosis and current treatment options. Mil Med Res. 2022 Oct 9;9(1):56. doi: 10.1186/s40779-022-00422-y.
• Background Nebelung H, Wotschel N, Held HC, Kirchberg J, Weitz J, Radosa CG, Laniado M, Hoffmann RT, Plodeck V. ICU patients with infectious complications after abdominopelvic surgery: Is thoracic CT in addition to abdominal CT helpful? Ann Intensive Care. 2023 Feb 10;13(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s13613-023-01104-1.
• Background Huston JM, Barie PS, Dellinger EP, Forrester JD, Duane TM, Tessier JM, Sawyer RG, Cainzos MA, Rasa K, Chipman JG, Kao LS, Pieracci FM, Colling KP, Heffernan DS, Lester J; Therapeutics and Guidelines Committee. The Surgical Infection Society Guidelines on the Management of Intra-Abdominal Infection: 2024 Update. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2024 Aug;25(6):419-435. doi: 10.1089/sur.2024.137. Epub 2024 Jul 11.

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