Cerebrolysin in Critically Ill Patients With Delirium

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Cerebrolysin: Patients were randomized into two groups: CBL - patients treated with cerebrolysin at the daily dose of 50 mL, and K - control patients treated without cerebrolysin. Cerebrolysin was administrated intravenously on the day the delirium was detected and then for seven consecutive days.

Saline Solution - IV: Patients enrolled in group K received the infusion of 0.9% Saline solution at a volume of 250 mL.

Study summary

Delirium is a severe problem in critically ill patients, and it is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and extended stay in hospital. The pathophysiology of delirium is multifactorial and still poorly recognized. Several authors proposed different pathomechanisms of delirium. The most likely of these are a metabolic response to cerebral hypoxia/hyperoxia, oxidative stress with excessive reactive oxygen species production, neuroinflammation following general inflammatory response, disorders in neurotransmitters, especially impaired cholinergic and dopaminergic transmissions and dysregulation of tryptophan metabolisms including kynurenine and serotonin/melatonin pathways. The multifactorial pathomechanism of delirium significantly reduces targeted therapy. Due to cerebrolysin properties, it seems reasonable to conclude that this substance is effective in the prevention and treatment of delirium in critically ill patients. Cerebrolysin is commonly used in neurologic patients treated for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. It possesses antioxidative properties, which reduce the severity of post-ischaemic neuronal dysfunction and improve neuronal plasticity. It also increases acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase in a dose-dependent manner, improving neuronal plasticity.

Additionally, cerebrolysin reduces neuroinflammation and neuronal cell apoptosis by activating toll-like receptor pathways. These properties closely correspond to the pathomechanism of delirium.

Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of treatment with Cerebrolysin in critically ill patients with delirium.

This study enrolls adult critically ill patients. Prior to delirium detection, the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) is used to assess the level of consciousness. Patients with RASS-4 or -5 were excluded from the analysis, as these disorders of consciousness preclude the determination of the degree of delirium, which is a requisite component of the study. Delirium is detected by the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) and the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC). Additionally, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale is used to detect mild cognitive impairment. The primary endpoint of this study is an analysis of the prevalence and severity of delirium symptoms. The secondary endpoint is an analysis of the duration of delirium.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• CAM-ICU test — seven days
  Cerebrolysin, 50 mL daily administered intravenously for seven consecutive days, reduces or alleviates the severity of delirium detected by the CAM-ICU test.
• ICDSC test — seven days
  Cerebrolysin, 50 mL daily administered intravenously for seven consecutive days, reduces or alleviates the severity of delirium detected by the ICDSC test.

Trial sites (1)

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