PeRsonalized Blood prEssure Management on Postoperative Complications and Mortality in hIgh-risk Patients Undergoing Major Non-cardiac Surgery

Official title

Effect of Personalized Blood Pressure Management on Postoperative Complications and Mortality in High-risk Patients Undergoing Major Non-cardiac Surgery: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Overview

High-risk populations, particularly elderly individuals and patients with cardiovascular comorbidities, exhibit markedly elevated incidences of postoperative myocardial injury (MINS), acute kidney injury (AKI), and mortality. Intraoperative hypotension (IOH), a pervasive clinical phenomenon affecting 40%-90% of surgical cases, Substantial observational evidence links IOH severity/duration to ischemic organ injuries (MINS, AKI) and long-term morbidity.Nevertheless, inherent limitations of observational designs-particularly residual confounding-preclude definitive causal inferences. Notably, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating goal-directed hemodynamic interventions demonstrate inconsistent clinical benefits, underscoring the imperative to clarify causal mechanisms between IOH and organ injury. This causal ambiguity arises from two unresolved scientific questions: (1) Threshold personalization deficit; (2) Therapeutic strategy limitations. In light of current evidence, perioperative hypotension management demands personalized strategies, the investigators propose a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) that aims to clarify the clinical benefits of individualized blood pressure management.

Detailed description

Anesthesia- and surgery-related complications and mortality constitute a critical global public health burden. Annually, over 300 million surgical procedures are performed worldwide, with postoperative complications and mortality standing as predominant contributors to adverse outcomes. High-risk populations, particularly elderly individuals and patients with cardiovascular comorbidities, exhibit markedly elevated incidences of postoperative myocardial injury (MINS), acute kidney injury (AKI), and mortality. Refinement of perioperative management protocols-especially precision-guided hemodynamic control-has emerged as a pivotal strategy for optimizing patient prognosis.

Intraoperative hypotension (IOH), a pervasive clinical phenomenon affecting 40%-90% of surgical cases, is conventionally defined through either absolute thresholds (e.g., systolic blood pressure (SBP) \<90 mmHg or mean arterial pressure (MAP) \<65 mmHg) or relative reductions from baseline values (\>20% decline). Its high prevalence and association with end-organ hypoperfusion have positioned IOH as a central concern in perioperative care. Substantial observational evidence links IOH severity/duration to ischemic organ injuries (MINS, AKI) and long-term morbidity. Nevertheless, inherent limitations of observational designs-particularly residual confounding-preclude definitive causal inferences. Notably, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating goal-directed hemodynamic interventions demonstrate inconsistent clinical benefits, underscoring the imperative to clarify causal mechanisms between IOH and organ injury.

This causal ambiguity arises from two unresolved scientific questions:

1. Threshold personalization deficit: Current paradigms predominantly apply population-based fixed thresholds (e.g., MAP ≥75-80 mmHg vs. ≥60 mmHg), disregarding interindividual hemodynamic variability. Although The Intraoperative Norepinephrine to Control Arterial Pressure (INPRESS) study used personalized blood pressure targets, its approach of measuring baseline blood pressure during a single clinic visit conflicts with current evidence. Research shows that 24-hour ambulatory monitoring is the most reliable method to capture an individual's true baseline blood pressure and daily fluctuations. 2. Therapeutic strategy limitations: Conventional protocols emphasizing aggressive vasopressor use to achieve arbitrary pressure targets may inadvertently increase complications like anastomotic leakage and AKI. Furthermore, the multifactorial etiology of IOH-encompassing hypovolemia, vasoplegia, and impaired cardiac contractility-demands etiology-specific management algorithms rather than universal interventions.

In light of current evidence, perioperative hypotension management demands personalized strategies. To address this need, the investigators propose a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) that pioneers the integration of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) with etiology-specific intervention protocols. This study aims to clarify the clinical benefits of individualized blood pressure management and establish high-quality evidence to advance precision anesthesia practices in perioperative care.

Interventions

• Other Personalized blood pressure management
  In patients assigned to personalized blood pressure management, clinicians were asked to maintain intraoperative MAP at least at the preoperative mean 24-hour MAP (with a maximum MAP target of 110 mmHg) from anesthesia induction to 2 hors after completion of surgery. If the preoperative mean 24-hour MAP was below 65mmHg, intraoperative MAP was maintained at least at 65mmHg. The mini fluid challenge (mini-FC, 100ml fluid infusion within 1minute) will be used to assess fluid responsiveness. A pos
• Other Routine blood pressure management
  In patients assigned to routine blood pressure management, clinicians were blinded to the results of preoperative automated 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, and thus managed blood pressure per institutional routine which generally is to maintain MAP above 60 mmHg. The mini fluid challenge (mini-FC, 100ml fluid infusion within 1minute) will be used to assess fluid responsiveness. A positive min-FC response (a stroke volume (SV) increase of at least 5%) will trigger FC administration (4ml/kg of

Primary outcome measures

• A composite of postoperative complications and mortality within 30 days after surgery [Time frame: Up to 30 days after surgery]

Secondary outcome measures (7)

• The individual components of the primary composite outcome within 30 days after surgery [Time frame: Up to 30 days after surgery]
• Proportion of ICU admission after surgery [Time frame: Up to 30 days after surgery]
• Length of stay in ICU after surgery [Time frame: Up to 30 days after surgery]
• Length of stay in the hospital after surgery [Time frame: Up to 30 days after surgery]
• Other major postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery [Time frame: Up to 30 days after surgery]
• Time to first oral intake after surgery [Time frame: Up to 30 days after surgery]
• Time to first flatus passage after surgery [Time frame: Up to 30 days after surgery]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Aged 65-90 yr;
• Scheduled to undergo elective non-cardiac major surgery under general anesthesia (with an estimated surgery duration of ≥ 2 hours and an anticipated postoperative hospital stay of ≥ 2 days);
• Patients with high cardiovascular risk, meeting at least one of the following conditions:

• History of stroke;
• History of coronary artery disease;
• History of congestive heart failure;
• History of peripheral arterial disease;
• Preoperative brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) ≥ 92 mg/L or N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) ≥ 300 ng/L;
• Preoperative cardiac troponin (cTn) or high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) > upper reference limit;
• Hypertension requiring medication treatment;
• Diabetes requiring medication treatment;
• History of chronic kidney disease;
• Continuous smoking for 2 years or more, with interruptions of less than one month before the current hospital admission;
• Hypercholesterolemia;
• History of transient ischemic attack.

Exclusion criteria

• Refuse to participate this trial;
• Inability to communicate in the preoperative period because of coma, profound dementia, or language barrier;
• Severe uncontrolled hypertension before surgery (systolic blood pressure ≥ 180 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 110 mmHg);
• Severe hepatic dysfunction (Child-Pugh Class C); or severe renal dysfunction required preoperative dialysis; or American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status ≥ V; or expectation lifespan ≤ 24h;
• Unstable cardiovascular conditions: acute coronary syndrome, decompensated heart failure, severe arrhythmias, severe valvular heart disease;
• Scheduled to undergo neurosurgical procedures, transplantation, vascular surgery;
• Urgent surgery;
• Diagnosed with sepsis or sepsis shock before surgery.
• Requiring vasopressor treatment before surgery.
• Unable to finish 24-hour automated blood pressure monitor;
• Current participation in another interventional study.
• Any condition deemed ineligible for participation by clinicians.

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: No

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Parallel assignment

Masking

Double blind

Primary purpose

Prevention

Study locations

China · 7 centers

• Guangzhou First People's Hospital — Guangzhou
• Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University — Guangzhou
• The Affiliated Panyu Central Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University — Guangzhou
• The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen — Shenzhen
• The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University — Zhuhai
• The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University — Xi’an
• Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital — Hangzhou

Publications

• Wesselink EM, Kappen TH, Torn HM, Slooter AJC, van Klei WA. Intraoperative hypotension and the risk of postoperative adverse outcomes: a systematic review. Br J Anaesth. 2018 Oct;121(4):706-721. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2018.04.036. Epub 2018 Jun 20. PMID 30236233
• Saugel B, Fletcher N, Gan TJ, Grocott MPW, Myles PS, Sessler DI; PeriOperative Quality Initiative XI (POQI XI) Workgroup Members. PeriOperative Quality Initiative (POQI) international consensus statement on perioperative arterial pressure management. Br J Anaesth. 2024 Aug;133(2):264-276. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2024.04.046. Epub 2024 Jun 4. PMID 38839472
• Wanner PM, Wulff DU, Djurdjevic M, Korte W, Schnider TW, Filipovic M. Targeting Higher Intraoperative Blood Pressures Does Not Reduce Adverse Cardiovascular Events Following Noncardiac Surgery. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021 Nov 2;78(18):1753-1764. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2021.08.048. PMID 34711333
• Marcucci M, Painter TW, Conen D, Lomivorotov V, Sessler DI, Chan MTV, Borges FK, Leslie K, Duceppe E, Martinez-Zapata MJ, Wang CY, Xavier D, Ofori SN, Wang MK, Efremov S, Landoni G, Kleinlugtenbelt YV, Szczeklik W, Schmartz D, Garg AX, Short TG, Wittmann M, Meyhoff CS, Amir M, Torres D, Patel A, Ruetzler K, Parlow JL, Tandon V, Fleischmann E, Polanczyk CA, Lamy A, Jayaram R, Astrakov SV, Wu WKK, C PMID 37094336
• Futier E, Lefrant JY, Guinot PG, Godet T, Lorne E, Cuvillon P, Bertran S, Leone M, Pastene B, Piriou V, Molliex S, Albanese J, Julia JM, Tavernier B, Imhoff E, Bazin JE, Constantin JM, Pereira B, Jaber S; INPRESS Study Group. Effect of Individualized vs Standard Blood Pressure Management Strategies on Postoperative Organ Dysfunction Among High-Risk Patients Undergoing Major Surgery: A Randomized C PMID 28973220
• Nicklas JY, Bergholz A, Dake F, Pham HHD, Rabe MC, Schlichting H, Skrovanek S, Flick M, Kouz K, Fischer M, Olotu C, Izbicki JR, Mann O, Fisch M, Schmalfeldt B, Frosch KH, Renne T, Krause L, Zollner C, Saugel B. Personalised blood pressure management during major noncardiac surgery and postoperative neurocognitive disorders: a randomised trial. BJA Open. 2024 Jul 1;11:100294. doi: 10.1016/j.bjao.20 PMID 39050403
• Saugel B, Reese PC, Sessler DI, Burfeindt C, Nicklas JY, Pinnschmidt HO, Reuter DA, Sudfeld S. Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Measurements and Intraoperative Hypotension in Patients Having Noncardiac Surgery with General Anesthesia: A Prospective Observational Study. Anesthesiology. 2019 Jul;131(1):74-83. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000002703. PMID 30998509

Identifiers

NCT: NCT06952387 · NFEC-2025-134

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗