Fluid Administration in Ketoacidosis (DRINK)
Diabetic Keto-acidosis
What this study involves
The registry says this study is recruiting. Individual locations may have different availability.
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Age range
- 18 years - Not specified
- Sex eligible
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Participants
- 300 Estimated
These are starting points, not an eligibility decision. The research team must review the full requirements.
About the research
Management of severe diabetic ketoacidosis is based on insulin therapy, correction of metabolic disorders and fluid resuscitation. Current recommendations recommend the first-line use of isotonic saline, whose composition is unbalanced, rich in chloride and sodium compared with plasma. Administration of large volumes of isotonic saline is associated with a risk of hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and acute renal failure. Balanced solutions (e.g. Ringer Lactate) are solutions with a more balanced electrolyte composition close to that of plasma. They could therefore enable diabetic ketoacidosis to be resolved more quickly than isotonic saline, due to a lower risk of hyperchloremic acidosis. Preliminary data suggest a potential benefit of balanced solutions for fluid resuscitation of patients with severe diabetic ketoacidosis in terms of resolution of diabetic ketoacidosis, but no randomized controlled double-blind study to date has compared balanced solution vs. isotonic saline in this context.
Who may be able to participate?
The list below is the sponsor’s full registry wording. It can include conditions, prior treatment, test results and other requirements. A match in search does not mean you qualify.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Admission to emergency department or direct admission to ICU
- Diagnosis of severe diabetic ketoacidosis requiring all the following criteria:
- Blood or capillary glucose \> 11 mmol/L
- Ketonemia or ketonuria \> 0
- Venous or arterial pH \< 7.30 or venous or arterial bicarbonate \< 15 mmol/L
- Volume of fluid administered before inclusion \<1L
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients \<18 years
- Pregnant women
- Patients under protection
- Patients with a decision to withdraw life-sustaining therapy
- Contraindication to isotonic saline or Ringer Lactate
- Non-affiliation to social security
Treatment, groups and participation
The registry may describe treatments and study duration without a complete visit calendar. Ask the study team for the exact schedule, procedures, risks, costs and alternatives. Keep your usual care plan unless your treating clinician tells you otherwise.
- Assignment
- Random assignment
- Masking
- Quadruple masked
Isotonic saline
Not reported in this registry record.
Drug: Fluid resuscitation with isotonic saline only
Ringer Lactate
Not reported in this registry record.
Drug: Fluid resuscitation with Ringer Lactate
Fluid resuscitation with isotonic saline only DRUG
Isotonic saline only will be used for fluid resuscitation in the first 48 hours of treatment, according to the protocol of English guidelines:
- During the first hour of treatment:
- In the event of systolic arterial hypotension (SAP\<90mmHg): administration of 500 mL over 15 minutes, renewable once, then administration of 1L over 1 hour.
- In the absence of systolic arterial hypotension (SAP\>90mmHg): administration of 1L over 1 hour.
- Between 60 minutes and 8 hours of treatment :
- 1L over 2 hours, repeated once, then 1L over 4 hours
- Adjust fluid resuscitation according to clinical tolerance
- After the first 8 hours:
- 1L over 4h then 1L over 6h
- Clinical re-evaluation according to standard of care in participating centers
Fluid resuscitation with Ringer Lactate DRUG
Ringer Lactate only will be used for fluid resuscitation in the first 48 hours of treatment, according to the protocol of English guidelines:
- During the first hour of treatment:
- In the event of systolic arterial hypotension (SAP\<90mmHg): administration of 500 mL over 15 minutes, renewable once, then administration of 1L over 1 hour.
- In the absence of systolic arterial hypotension (SAP\>90mmHg): administration of 1L over 1 hour.
- Between 60 minutes and 8 hours of treatment :
- 1L over 2 hours, repeated once, then 1L over 4 hours
- Adjust fluid resuscitation according to clinical tolerance
- After the first 8 hours:
- 1L over 4h then 1L over 6h
- Clinical re-evaluation according to standard of care in participating centers
What researchers are measuring
Outcome measures describe what is being studied. They are not proof that a treatment works.
Primary measures
Resolution of diabetic ketoacidosis
Time frame: at 24 hours
Compare fluid resuscitaiton with Ringer Lactate to isotonic saline on the resolution of diabetic ketoacidosis at 24 hours from admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in patients with severe diabetic ketoacidosis.
Resolution of ketoacidosis allowing discharge from ICU, defined as the proportion of patients with the following three criteria at 24 hours from ICU admission :
1. capillary or blood glucose \< 11 mmol/L
2. ketonemia \< 0.6 mmol/l
3. venous or arterial pH ≥ 7,30 or venous or arterial bicarbonate ≥ 18 mmol/L
Secondary measures
Speed of resolution of metabolic disorders
Time frame: at 48 hours
Compare fluid resuscitation with Ringer Lactate and isotonic saline solution on the speed of resolution of metabolic disorders in patients admitted to ICU for severe diabetic ketoacidosis.
Proportion of patients and number of hours ("Resolution free hours") within 48 hours of ICU admission with the following three criteria:
1. capillary or blood glucose \< 11 mmol/L
2. ketonemia \< 0.6 mmol/l
3. venous or arterial pH ≥ 7,30 or venous or arterial bicarbonate ≥ 18 mmol/L
Time of resolution of metabolic disorders
Time frame: at 48 hours
Compare fluid resuscitation with Ringer Lactate and isotonic saline solution on the speed of resolution of metabolic disorders in patients admitted to ICU for severe diabetic ketoacidosis.
Time (in hours) from ICU admission to obtain one of the following three criteria:
1. capillary or blood glucose \< 11 mmol/L
2. ketonemia \< 0.6 mmol/l
3. venous or arterial pH ≥ 7,30 or venous or arterial bicarbonate ≥ 18 mmol/L
Assess the metabolic tolerance of Ringer Lactate compared to isotonic saline solution
Time frame: through the end of study average 24 months
Assess the metabolic tolerance of Ringer Lactate compared to isotonic saline solution in patients admitted to ICU for severe diabetic ketoacidosis.
Occurrence of serious metabolic disorders during ICU stay, defined as :
1. Kalemia \< 3 mmol/L
2. Natremia \> 145 mmol/L
3. Chloremia \> 110 mmol/L
4. Phosphoremia \< 0.70 mmol/L
5. Blood glucose \< 3.8 mmol/L (i.e. 0.80 g/L)
6. Persistent ketonemia/ketonuria 24 hours after ICU admission 2. Nature and volume (in liters) of fluid administered before inclusion and during the study period in each group 3. Protocol compliance (expressed as % of volume administered in each group)
Assess the impact of Ringer lactate compared with isotonic saline on renal, neurological and cardiac complications
Time frame: at 28 days
To assess the impact of Ringer lactate compared with isotonic saline on renal, neurological and cardiac complications during ICU stay and outcomes of patients admitted to ICU for severe diabetic ketoacidosis.
Occurrence of adverse events during ICU stay, defined as :
1. Neurological disorders (Glasgow score)
2. Acute renal failure (KDIGO classification)
3. Cardiac disorders (supraventricular and ventricular rhythm disorders, acute coronary syndrome) 2. ICU and hospital length of stay 3. ICU mortality and Day-28 mortality
Assess the impact of Ringer lactate compared with isotonic saline on cardiac complications
Time frame: at 28 days
To assess the impact of Ringer lactate compared with isotonic saline on cardiac complications during ICU stay and outcomes of patients admitted to ICU for severe diabetic ketoacidosis.
Occurrence of adverse events during ICU stay, defined as :
- Cardiac disorders (supraventricular and ventricular rhythm disorders, acute coronary syndrome)
- ICU and hospital length of stay
- ICU mortality and Day-28 mortality
Assess the impact of Ringer lactate compared with isotonic saline on renal complications
Time frame: at 28 days
To assess the impact of Ringer lactate compared with isotonic saline on renal, complications during ICU stay and outcomes of patients admitted to ICU for severe diabetic ketoacidosis.
Measure acute renal failure with KDIGO classification.
The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classification system stratifies acute kidney injury (AKI) into levels of severity, determined by changes in serum creatinine (SCr) / estimated creatinine clearance (eCCl), as well as changes in urine output. The strata of severity of AKI can be reached by meeting the criteria for changes in SCr / eCCl or changes in urine output. There are three levels of severity, with level 1 being the least severe and level 3 the most severe.
No cut-off for the study
Assess the impact of Ringer lactate compared with isotonic saline on neurological complications
Time frame: at 28 days
To assess the impact of Ringer lactate compared with isotonic saline on neurological complications during ICU stay and outcomes of patients admitted to ICU for severe diabetic ketoacidosis.
Measure Neurological disorders with Glasgow score. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is used to objectively describe the extent of impaired consciousness in all types of patients. The scale rates patients on three aspects of reactivity: eye opening, motor responses and verbal responses. It ranges from 3 (coma) to 15 (no disturbance of consciousness). No cut-off for the study.
Review the complete result tables and limitations in the official record.
Open official results ↗Research locations (1)
The overall study status and a local site’s status can differ. Confirm that location’s availability before traveling.
1 locations
CHU NICENice, FranceRecruiting
Study team and timeline
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice
- Study start
- Nov 26, 2025 Actual
- Primary completion
- 2027-12 Estimated
- Study completion
- 2028-07 Estimated
- First posted
- Aug 7, 2024 Actual
- Last updated
- Nov 10, 2026 Actual
Official study contacts
Official study title
Comparison of Saline and Ringer Lactate in Patients With Severe Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DRINK) : a Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial
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Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Information is submitted by sponsors and investigators. NLM does not approve the safety or science of all listed studies. Registry disclaimer.
Retrieved: Nov 12, 2026 · Last registry update: Nov 10, 2026
