Venous CongestionPULSE-ICUNCT07826481
Portal and Splenic Venous Pulsatility in Postoperative Critically Ill Patients
An observational study of Venous Congestion and Postoperative Care, run by Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Doctor Negrín.
Trial summary
Venous congestion is common in critically ill postoperative patients and may be associated with adverse outcomes. Doppler ultrasound assessment of venous flow patterns, including portal venous pulsatility, is increasingly used to evaluate systemic venous congestion. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Venous Congestion, Postoperative Care
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 1 Nov 2026to 1 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Adult patients admitted to the postoperative intensive care unit after major surgery. Participants will undergo Doppler ultrasound assessment of portal and splenic venous pulsatility during the early postoperative period to evaluate the relationship between venous pulsatility patterns and systemic venous congestion.
Who may be able to join
None listed.
Who cannot join
- Known chronic liver disease or previous portal hypertension. Previous pathological splenomegaly or prior splenectomy. Recent hepatic or splenic surgery during the same hospitalization. Known portal or splenic vein thrombosis. Absence of an adequate ultrasound window after two attempts by trained operators.
- Death or discharge from the intensive care unit before completion of the first protocolized ultrasound assessment.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Correlation Between Portal and Splenic Venous Pulsatility Using Doppler Ultrasound as a Marker of Venous Congestion in Postoperative Critically Ill Patients
Venous congestion is common in critically ill postoperative patients and may be associated with adverse outcomes. Doppler ultrasound assessment of venous flow patterns, including portal venous pulsatility, is increasingly used to evaluate systemic venous congestion.
This prospective observational study aims to determine the correlation between portal venous pulsatility and splenic venous pulsatility measured by Doppler ultrasound in adult patients admitted to a postoperative intensive care unit. The study will evaluate whether splenic venous pulsatility may provide additional information for the assessment of venous congestion.
Ultrasound examinations will be performed in addition to standard clinical care, without any therapeutic intervention or modification of patient management.
Read the detailed description
Systemic venous congestion is increasingly recognized as an important pathophysiological factor in critically ill patients, particularly after major surgery. The Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) grading system combines inferior vena cava assessment with Doppler evaluation of hepatic, portal, and renal venous flow patterns to identify clinically relevant venous congestion.
The portal venous pulsatility index (PI), calculated using pulsed-wave Doppler measurements at the hepatic hilum, has been described as a marker of venous congestion and has shown potential clinical relevance in the assessment of fluid status and decongestion response.
However, splenic venous pulsatility has not been systematically evaluated as a marker of venous congestion in critically ill patients, and its relationship with portal venous pulsatility remains unknown. Since both venous territories drain into the portal system and may reflect retrograde transmission of elevated right atrial pressure, splenic venous pulsatility could represent an additional non-invasive parameter for congestion assessment.
This prospective, observational, single-center study will investigate the correlation between portal and splenic venous pulsatility measured by Doppler ultrasound in postoperative critically ill patients. Secondary objectives include assessment of measurement reproducibility, evaluation of the relationship with VExUS grading, analysis in clinically relevant subgroups, and exploration of the association between splenic venous pulsatility and decongestion during ICU admission.
No experimental treatment will be administered, and all ultrasound assessments will be performed as an additional non-invasive evaluation alongside standard clinical management.
- Conditions
- Venous Congestion, Postoperative Care
- Keywords
- Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS), Portal Venous Pulsatility Index, Doppler Ultrasound, Fluid Management, Intensive Care Unit, Postoperative Patients
- Medical subject headings
- Hyperemia
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Correlation between portal venous pulsatility index (portal PI) and splenic venous pulsatility index (splenic PI) measured by Doppler ultrasound.
The primary outcome is the degree of correlation between portal and splenic venous pulsatility indices assessed during the same ultrasound examination in postoperative critically ill patients.
Measured: Baseline assessment during the first 72 hours after admission to the postoperative intensive care unit.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Sep 2026
- Study start1 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Nov 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Venous CongestionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Doctor Negrín
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Lucia Valencia, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Doctor Negrín
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07826481
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- DrNegrinUH0001
- Acronym
- PULSE-ICU
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 14 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 17 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Correlation Between Portal and Splenic Venous Pulsatility Using Doppler Ultrasound as a Marker of Venous Congestion in Postoperative Critically Ill Patients
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07826481
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PULSE-ICU / DrNegrinUH0001
- Conditions
- Venous Congestion, Postoperative Care
- Keywords
- Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS), Portal Venous Pulsatility Index, Doppler Ultrasound, Fluid Management, Intensive Care Unit, Postoperative Patients
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Doctor NegrínUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Nov 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 17 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Venous congestion is common in critically ill postoperative patients and may be associated with adverse outcomes. Doppler ultrasound assessment of venous flow patterns, including portal venous pulsatility, is increasingly used to evaluate systemic venous congestion.
This prospective observational study aims to determine the correlation between portal venous pulsatility and splenic venous pulsatility measured by Doppler ultrasound in adult patients admitted to a postoperative intensive care unit. The study will evaluate whether splenic venous pulsatility may provide additional information for the assessment of venous congestion.
Ultrasound examinations will be performed in addition to standard clinical care, without any therapeutic intervention or modification of patient management.
Detailed description
Systemic venous congestion is increasingly recognized as an important pathophysiological factor in critically ill patients, particularly after major surgery. The Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) grading system combines inferior vena cava assessment with Doppler evaluation of hepatic, portal, and renal venous flow patterns to identify clinically relevant venous congestion.
The portal venous pulsatility index (PI), calculated using pulsed-wave Doppler measurements at the hepatic hilum, has been described as a marker of venous congestion and has shown potential clinical relevance in the assessment of fluid status and decongestion response.
However, splenic venous pulsatility has not been systematically evaluated as a marker of venous congestion in critically ill patients, and its relationship with portal venous pulsatility remains unknown. Since both venous territories drain into the portal system and may reflect retrograde transmission of elevated right atrial pressure, splenic venous pulsatility could represent an additional non-invasive parameter for congestion assessment.
This prospective, observational, single-center study will investigate the correlation between portal and splenic venous pulsatility measured by Doppler ultrasound in postoperative critically ill patients. Secondary objectives include assessment of measurement reproducibility, evaluation of the relationship with VExUS grading, analysis in clinically relevant subgroups, and exploration of the association between splenic venous pulsatility and decongestion during ICU admission.
No experimental treatment will be administered, and all ultrasound assessments will be performed as an additional non-invasive evaluation alongside standard clinical management.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Adult patients admitted to the postoperative intensive care unit after major surgery. Participants will undergo Doppler ultrasound assessment of portal and splenic venous pulsatility during the early postoperative period to evaluate the relationship between venous pulsatility patterns and systemic venous congestion.
Key inclusion criteria (0 listed)
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Known chronic liver disease or previous portal hypertension. Previous pathological splenomegaly or prior splenectomy. Recent hepatic or splenic surgery during the same hospitalization. Known portal or splenic vein thrombosis. Absence of an adequate ultrasound window after two attempts by trained operators.
- Death or discharge from the intensive care unit before completion of the first protocolized ultrasound assessment.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Correlation between portal venous pulsatility index (portal PI) and splenic venous pulsatility index (splenic PI) measured by Doppler ultrasound.
Time frame: Baseline assessment during the first 72 hours after admission to the postoperative intensive care unit.
The primary outcome is the degree of correlation between portal and splenic venous pulsatility indices assessed during the same ultrasound examination in postoperative critically ill patients.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Venous Congestion and Postoperative Care, run by Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Doctor Negrín.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 0 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact LUCIA VALENCIA, PHD (0034928450370, ORI98ES@YAHOO.ES), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Correlation between portal venous pulsatility index (portal PI) and splenic venous pulsatility index (splenic PI) measured by Doppler ultrasound. (time frame: Baseline assessment during the first 72 hours after admission to the postoperative intensive care unit.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Sep 2026.