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Clinical Trials/NCT06996509
NCT06996509
Not yet recruiting
Not Applicable

Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Open-Label Single-Center Trial Comparing High-Velocity Nasal Insufflation (HVNI) Versus Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) for Acute Respiratory Failure in Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Assiut University1 site in 1 country80 target enrollmentStarted: August 1, 2025Last updated:

Overview

Phase
Not Applicable
Status
Not yet recruiting
Enrollment
80
Locations
1
Primary Endpoint
Maximize the successful weaning duration in days.

Overview

Brief Summary

This study will involve 70 adult patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome who have severe breathing problems. It will compare two types of breathing support: high-velocity nasal cannula (HVNC) (which delivers heated and humidified air at 35-60 L/min) and bi-level noninvasive ventilation (NIV) (which uses two pressure levels: inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) 10-16 cmH₂O and expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) 5-8O). The main goal is to see how many patients can stop using non-invasive support without needing a breathing machine by Day 30. Other goals include how long it takes to stop using support, how comfortable patients feel, how long they stay in the ICU or hospital, how many days they can breathe on their own, and the number of deaths in 30 days. The main goal is to see how many patients can stop using non-invasive support without needing invasive ventilation by Day 30, while also looking at other factors like how long it takes to stop assistance, how comfortable patients are, how long they stay in the hospital, how many days they can breathe on their own, the number of deaths within 30 days, and their overall health.

Detailed Description

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute autoimmune disorder characterized by rapid-onset muscle weakness due to peripheral nerve damage. A significant complication in GBS is respiratory failure, occurring in approximately 25% of cases, necessitating timely and effective respiratory support to prevent morbidity and mortality.

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a standard intervention for managing acute respiratory failure, particularly in conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). NIV delivers positive pressure ventilation through interfaces such as oronasal masks, providing support without the need for endotracheal intubation. While effective, NIV can be associated with patient discomfort, skin breakdown, and challenges in secretion management, potentially leading to intolerance or failure of the therapy.

High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy has emerged as an alternative respiratory support modality. HFNC delivers heated and humidified oxygen at high flow rates through nasal prongs, offering several physiological benefits:

Enhanced Oxygenation: By delivering high flow rates, HFNC can meet or exceed the patient's inspiratory demand, ensuring consistent oxygen delivery.

Reduction in Work of Breathing: The continuous flow can generate a low level of positive airway pressure, decreasing the effort required for breathing.

Enhanced Secretion Clearance: Humidified gas supports mucociliary function, facilitating the clearance of secretions.

Patient Comfort: The nasal interface is generally better tolerated than masks used in non-invasive ventilation (NIV), potentially improving adherence to therapy.

Recent studies have explored the efficacy of HFNC compared to NIV in various forms of respiratory failure. While NIV remains the first-line treatment in many scenarios, HFNC has shown promise in improving patient comfort and reducing the need for escalation to invasive mechanical ventilation in specific patient populations.

Study Design

Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel
Primary Purpose
Supportive Care
Masking
Single (Outcomes Assessor)

Masking Description

Outcome assessor blinding involves masking only those individuals who measure or adjudicate study endpoints, while participants and treating clinicians remain aware of treatment allocation. This approach reduces detection bias in outcome measurement without the logistical challenges of fully double-blinded designs.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages
18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Age ≥ 18 years
  • GBS per Brighton criteria (clinical ± cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/electrodiagnostics)
  • Moderate acute respiratory failure (vital capacity (VC) 15-20 mL/kg and/or arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂) \> 45 mmHg or arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) \< 70 mmHg on room air (RA) and/or respiratory rate (RR) \> 24 /min)
  • Hughes Grade 3-4, The Erasmus Guillain-Barré Syndrome Respiratory Insufficiency Score (EGRIS) 1-3, Medical Research Council (MRC) sum score 20-40
  • Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≥ 13, intact cough/gag, stable hemodynamics
  • Onset of respiratory symptoms ≤ 7 days

Exclusion Criteria

  • Chronic respiratory disease (COPD, interstitial lung diseases (ILD), persistent asthma)
  • Immediate need for invasive ventilation (VC \< 10 mL/kg, unresponsive severe gas-exchange derangement)
  • Severe bulbar dysfunction or prior intubation for the current illness
  • Contraindications to HVNC/NIV (facial trauma, untreated pneumothorax, agitation, vomiting)
  • Pregnancy
  • Severe comorbidity limiting prognosis.
  • Declined consent

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Maximize the successful weaning duration in days.

Time Frame: 48 hours after randomization and daily for 28 days.

Examine and compare the percentage of Guillain-Barré syndrome patients who can discontinue using their assigned non-invasive support (HVNC or NIV) without requiring a switch to invasive mechanical ventilation during their initial stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), which will be from 48 hours of randomization and daily for 28 days.

Secondary Outcomes

No secondary outcomes reported

Investigators

Sponsor Class
Other
Responsible Party
Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator

Ahmad Shaddad

Associate Professor

Assiut University

Study Sites (1)

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