Parker’s SQUEEZE trial supporting research in pediatric septic shock

Sepsis is a global health crisis.   

Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection and can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death when it is not recognized early and treated immediately.   

According to The Global Sepsis Alliance, sepsis affects between 47 and 50 million people every year and at least 11 million die from this life-threatening medical condition. 

To address the staggering impact of this condition, Melissa Parker, a pediatric intensive care doctor at McMaster Children’s Hospital and associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, is conducting a research trial called, “SQUEEZE.”  

This trial will examine if using a special approach called “Fluid Sparing Resuscitation” can help improve outcomes for children with septic shock. This approach involves using less fluids and more medications to help blood flow. The study will compare this approach to the standard practice of care (which usually involves a lot of fluid). The study will assess which treatment results in the best outcomes for children with suspected or confirmed septic shock and will also help clinicians recognize and treat sepsis faster. The SQUEEZE trial is the first study endorsed, and supported by both Canadian Critical Care Trials Group (CCCTG) and Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC). 

The SQUEEZE trial has enrolled over 400 pediatric patients with septic shock and has attracted over $2 million dollars in operating funding support from Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS), the Hamilton Academic Health Sciences Organization (HAHSO) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). 

Parker and her team are expecting the results of the definitive trial later this year and will inform future pediatric septic shock resuscitation guidelines.  

Find more information on Parker’s SQUEEZE trial research here.