Sepsis is a global health priority with nearly 50 million cases annually. Cardiovascular dysfunction is common, frequently manifesting as hypotension that persists despite fluid resuscitation. Most affected patients require the use of intravenous (IV) vasoactive agents, typically necessitating intensive care unit (ICU)-level monitoring, invasive interventions and contributing substantially to healthcare costs. Midodrine, an oral alpha-1 agonist approved for orthostatic hypotension, has increasingly been used off-label as a vasopressor-sparing (reducing IV vasopressor use) strategy in sepsis, despite limited and inconsistent evidence. This pragmatic, randomised, open-label trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of midodrine in patients with sepsis-associated hypotension. We hypothesise that, compared with standard care, midodrine administration will reduce the duration of IV vasopressor use.
A total of 308 adult patients with sepsis-associated hypotension will be enrolled (154 per arm). The intervention group will, in addition to standard of care, receive enteral midodrine 10 mg three times daily. Outcomes will be ascertained pragmatically via electronic health record-based data retrieval and adjudicated by research coordinators blinded to treatment assignment. The primary outcome is time alive and off IV vasopressors in the first 28 days (in hours) after randomisation. Secondary outcomes include cumulative vasopressor exposure; use and duration of central venous access; cumulative fluid balance over the first 48 hours and up to 7 days of ICU stay; ICU and hospital length of stay; and ICU-, hospital-, and organ support-free days through day 28. Safety outcomes include adverse events potentially attributable to midodrine during hospitalisation including acute kidney injury. Primary analyses will follow an intention-to-treat framework, including all randomised participants according to their assigned treatment groups. Primary and secondary outcomes will be compared using a van Elteren test stratified by randomisation factors. A predefined secondary Bayesian analysis of the primary outcome will provide complementary estimates of treatment effect. Safety outcomes will be summarised descriptively without formal between-arm hypothesis testing.
The Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board approved this protocol and required written informed consent from all participants (IRB# 24–0 00 121). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and international conference presentations.
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common chronic inflammatory condition that significantly impairs quality of life (QoL) through symptoms such as nasal congestion, rhinorrhoea, sneezing and itching. Conventional treatments often show limitations, prompting interest in complementary therapies like herbal medicine (HM). HM is widely used in East Asian countries and has demonstrated potential in modulating immune responses and reducing AR symptoms. In Korea, a government pilot project expanded in 2024 to include AR under limited insurance coverage for HM, highlighting the need for robust clinical evidence on its safety and effectiveness.
This study is a multicentre, prospective registry conducted in 21 Korean Medicine (KM) clinics across Republic of Korea. The registry systematically collects real-world data on HM treatments for AR, focusing on patient demographics, treatment patterns and clinical outcomes. Participants meeting predefined criteria will receive HM or other KM therapies as part of routine care. Data will be collected bi-weekly for the first 4 weeks, with additional follow-ups at 6 and 12 months. Primary outcomes include changes in Total Nasal Symptom Score, QoL scores and safety evaluations, analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods.
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kyung Hee University on 11 December 2024 (Approval No. KHSIRB-24–631). The study findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at academic conferences.
KCT0010172.