The Impact of Different Recovery Positions on the Perfusion of the Lower Forearm and Comfort

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Unconsciousness
• Interventions: Other: recovery position

• Registration Number: NCT05587179
• Lead Sponsor: Centre for Evidence-Based Practice, Belgium

Brief Summary

Introduction: A side-lying recovery position is recommended when victims are unresponsive but breathing normally and, hence, do not require cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In 2021, the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and the Belgian Red Cross-Flanders issued new guidelines which included the description of a modified recovery position to avoid problems in victims with joint stiffness and to overcome potential obstructed venous return in the dependent arm. Based on good practice insights, the dependent arm will now be extended and not bent to support the other arm. However, there is currently no evidence available to support a specific recovery position.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of different recovery positions on perfusion of the forearm and associated comfort.

Methods: In this cross-over randomized controlled trial, 24 healthy volunteers will be placed in either the lateral recovery position with extended dependent arm or with bent arm, and in the other position thereafter. Before and between both recovery positions, the volunteers will be positioned supine for 15 min. Several perfusion indices of the forearm will be non-or mildly invasively monitored in the respective recovery positions by radial artery tonometry, ulnar artery echo doppler and venous congestion plethysmography. Subjective participant's discomfort and pain will be assessed as well. Differences in continuous outcomes between the different recovery positions will be assessed with paired t-tests or wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Discussion: The benefit of lateral positioning of adults and children with decreased level of consciousness has been widely accepted despite limited supportive scientific evidence. We here will provide direct evidence (i) whether venous drainage in the dependent limb is impaired when positioning the victim in the lateral recovery position with bent arms and (ii) whether this potential complication can be minimized by extending the dependent arm. The major limitations of this study is that healthy volunteers, instead of non-responsive victims, are included as participants, and that the study will be performed in a highly controlled environment. Nevertheless, the generated insights will directly fuel evidence-based treatment recommendations regarding the recovery position in first aid settings, and fill a current gap in evidence.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2022-09-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-10-18
• Study First Posted: 2022-10-19
• Study Start: 2022-12-21
• Primary Completion: 2023-10-31
• Study Completion: 2023-10-31
• Status Verified: 2024-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-01-26
• Last Update Posted: 2024-01-29

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 8

Inclusion Criteria

-healthy volunteers

Exclusion Criteria

• History of any coronary or peripheral vascular disease such as Raynaud's disease or thromboangitis obliterans (self-declared)
• Type I or type II diabetes (self-declared)
• Intake of cholesterol-lowering medication (self-declared)
• High blood pressure (systolic blood pressure > 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure > 90 mmHg) and/or use of antihypertensive drugs (self-declared)
• Obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2)
• Smoking or using tobacco products (self-declared)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Lateral side-lying recovery position with extended arm	recovery position	The lateral side-lying recovery position with extended arm is directly based on the revised 2021 ERC guidelines recommending to extend the dependent arm and placing it next to the creased upper lying arm, which supports the head.
Lateral side-lying recovery position with bent arms	recovery position	In the lateral side-lying recovery position with bent arms, the elbow of the dependent arm will now be bent with palm up and the far knee still flexed.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Cross-sectional area of the ulnar artery (SU) and peak systolic velocity of the ulnar artery (PSVU) of the hand of the dependent arm	between 10 to 15 min in each position	measured by echo doppler
Difference in peripheral arterial pressure (PAP)	between 10 to 15 min in each position	extracted from pulse wave amplitude (PWA) measured by radial artery tonometry
Peripheral venous pressure (PVP)	between 10 to 15 min in each position	measured at the forearm and the back of the hand by venous congestion plethysmography

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Discomfort (experienced by participant)	after 15 min in the recovery position	10-point Likert-scale completed by the participants
Oxygen saturation	measured continuously during 1u15 min (15 min supine position, 15 min posture 1, 15 min supine position, 15 min posture 2, 15 min supine position)
Heart rate	measured continuously during 1u15min (15 min supine position, 15 min posture 1, 15 min supine position, 15 min posture 2, 15 min supine position)
Pain (experienced by participant)	after 15 min in the recovery position	10-point Likert-scale completed by the participants
Skin discoloration	after 15 min in the recovery position	10-point Likert-scale completed by the researcher

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Antwerp University Hospital; 🇧🇪 Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium