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Pivotal Evaluation of Abdominal Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (VentFree) for Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation

Not Applicable
Conditions
Ventilators, Mechanical
Respiration, Artificial
Interventions
Device: Breath synchronized abdominal NMES
Device: Sham breath synchronized abdominal NMES
Registration Number
NCT05759013
Lead Sponsor
Liberate Medical
Brief Summary

The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the VentFree Respiratory Muscle Stimulator (VentFree) in critically ill adult patients who require invasive mechanical ventilation, when compared to sham.

Detailed Description

Approximately 40% of patients who receive invasive ventilation require more than four days of ventilator support. Every additional day of mechanical ventilation results in increased patient morbidity and mortality and increased economic cost. Mechanically ventilated patients often develop expiratory muscle weakness, which has been linked to failed extubation and weaning.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) uses electrical pulses to induce a muscle contraction and has been shown to reduce or retard muscle atrophy. NMES applied to the abdominal wall muscles has been shown to improve respiratory function and assist ventilator weaning in spinal cord injury. Liberate Medical has previously shown that NMES applied to the abdominal wall muscles in synchrony with exhalation is feasible in patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation. This study is a pivotal evaluation of the efficacy of exhalation synchronized abdominal NMES to assist ventilator weaning in critically ill patients.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
272
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Participant is ≥ 22 years of age.
  2. Participant has been receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for ≥ 24 hours.
Exclusion Criteria
  1. Participant has been receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for > 96 hours.

  2. Participant is scheduled or expected to be disconnected from mechanical ventilation ≤ 24 hours after enrollment.

  3. Participant was intubated for ≥ 24 hours during a prior episode of invasive mechanical ventilation during current hospitalization.

  4. Participant has a BMI ≥ 40 Kg/m2.

  5. Participant has no contraction of the abdominal wall muscles in response to abdominal FES as determined by ultrasound.

  6. Participant has a pre-existing neuromuscular or muscular disorder that could affect the respiratory muscles (e.g., spinal cord injury or Guillain-Barré syndrome).

  7. Participant has had open abdominal surgery ≤ 4 weeks prior to enrollment.

  8. Participant has open or damaged skin at area of electrode placements.

  9. Participant has a pacemaker and/or implanted electronic device.

  10. Participant is known or expected to be pregnant. NOTE: A negative urine or blood pregnancy test will be documented during screening for women of child-bearing potential.

  11. Participant is actively pharmacologically paralyzed at the time of enrollment. NOTE: Participants receiving neuromuscular blockers may be enrolled after a ≥ 12-hour washout period.

  12. Participant is tracheostomized at the time of enrollment.

  13. Participant is on home non-invasive ventilation (except for CPAP or BiPAP for obstructive sleep apnea).

  14. Participant is receiving or expected to receive comfort measures (palliative, hospice, comfort care, etc.) at the time of screening or enrollment.

  15. Participant is participating in any of the following:

    • A study with the same or similar primary endpoint
    • A study investigating electrical stimulation or respiratory muscle therapy
    • Any study in which the investigator determines may interfere with the results of this study
  16. Participant is unable or unwilling to comply with protocol requirements, including assessments, tests, and follow-up visits.

  17. Participant has any other medical condition which in the opinion of the Investigator will make participation medically unsafe or interfere with the study results.

  18. Participant or legally authorized representative is unwilling to provide written informed consent.

  19. Participant or legally authorized representative is unable to provide written informed consent.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
VentFree Respiratory Muscle StimulatorBreath synchronized abdominal NMESIn the VentFree treatment group, abdominal functional electrical stimulation (FES) will be applied with a frequency of 30 hertz (Hz) and a pulse width of 350µs to cause a strong visible or palpable muscle contraction. The stimulation amplitude will be set to 90% of the participant's maximum tolerable level that does not cause discomfort to the participant. Participant discomfort will be measured using a visual analog pain scale (VAS) with pain ratings from zero (no pain) to ten (worst pain). For participants who are unable to communicate their level of pain, the Behavioral Pain Scale (BPS) will be used. The stimulation will be titrated for each participant and each stimulation session. After the stimulation has been titrated, a visible or palpable contraction of the abdominal wall will be confirmed. The stimulation will be evaluated every 10(± 2) minutes after the start of each stimulation session and adjusted as necessary so that no discomfort is caused to the participant.
Sham Respiratory Muscle StimulatorSham breath synchronized abdominal NMESIn the sham group, abdominal functional electrical stimulation (FES) will be set to cause sensory stimulation but no muscle contraction. Abdominal FES will be applied with a frequency of 30 hertz (Hz), a pulse width of 350 µs and a stimulation amplitude that does not cause abdominal wall muscle contraction. The stimulation amplitude will initially be set at 10 mA and reduced in steps of 2 milliamp (mA) until no muscle contraction is seen.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Time from first FES treatment administration to successful liberation during the treatment period of 28 days or until ICU discharge, whichever occurs first.From first FES treatment to 28 days or ICU discharge, whichever occurs first

Successful liberation is defined as disconnection from mechanical ventilation that does not require invasive mechanical ventilation in the subsequent 7 days after disconnection, or until ICU discharge, or until live hospital discharge, whichever occurs first.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Cough peak flowAt 24 hours post-extubation

Cough peak flow measurement

Time from first FES treatment administration to ICU dischargeFrom date of first FES treatment administration to date of ICU discharge or 90 days after treatment, whichever occurs first

Duration of first FES treatment administration to ICU discharge

Time from first FES treatment administration to hospital dischargeFrom date of first FES treatment administration to date of hospital discharge or 90 days after treatment, whichever occurs first

Duration of first FES treatment administration to hospital discharge

Maximum expiratory pressureAt 24 hours post-extubation

Maximum expiratory pressure measurement

Incidence of device-related adverse eventsFrom date of first FES treatment administration to date of hospital discharge or 90 days after treatment, whichever occurs first

Number of device-related adverse events

Incidence of patients who were successfully liberated from mechanical ventilationFrom date of first FES treatment administration to date of hospital discharge or 90 days after treatment, whichever occurs first

Number of of patients who were successfully liberated from mechanical ventilation

Incidence of re-intubationsFrom date of first FES treatment administration to 90 days after treatment

Number of re-intubations

Incidence of readmissions to the ICUFrom date of first FES treatment administration to 90 days after treatment

Number of readmissions to the ICU

Incidence of acute respiratory infectionsFrom date of first FES treatment administration to date of hospital discharge or 90 days after treatment, whichever occurs first

Number of participants that had diagnosed acute respiratory infections

Incidence of readmissions to the hospitalFrom date of first FES treatment administration to 90 days after treatment

Number of readmissions to the hospital

MortalityFrom Date of first FES treatment administration to date of hospital discharge or 90 days after treatment, whichever occurs first

Number of Deaths

Incidence of hospital acquired infectionsFrom date of first FES treatment administration to date of hospital discharge or 90 days after treatment, whichever occurs first

Number of participants that had diagnosed hospital acquired infections

Incidence of tracheostomyFrom date of first FES treatment administration to date of ICU discharge or 90 days after treatment, whichever occurs first

Number of participants that underwent tracheostomies

Maximum inspiratory pressureAt 24 hours post-extubation

Maximum inspiratory pressure measurement

Mobility as assessed by the ICU Mobility ScaleDate of ICU discharge or 90 days after treatment, whichever occurs first

Mobility assessment score from 0 (participant is unable to move) - 10 (participant is able to walk independently)

Quality of life as assessed by EQ-5D (Quality of Life Survey)At 90 days after treatment

Five (5) level Quality of Life assessment ranging from Level 1 (indicating no problem) to Level 5 (indicating unable to/extreme problems)

Trial Locations

Locations (22)

Nepean Hospital

🇦🇺

Kingswood, Australia

Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital

🇫🇷

Paris, France

Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis (JBZ)

🇳🇱

's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands

Canisius Wilhelmina Ziekenhuis (CWZ)

🇳🇱

Nijmegen, Netherlands

Radboud University Medical Center

🇳🇱

Nijmegen, Netherlands

Erasmus Medical Center

🇳🇱

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital

🇺🇸

Hines, Illinois, United States

Loyola University

🇺🇸

Maywood, Illinois, United States

University of Iowa

🇺🇸

Iowa City, Iowa, United States

Tufts Medical Center

🇺🇸

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

University of Cincinnati

🇺🇸

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

University of Pittsburgh

🇺🇸

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

🇺🇸

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

MD Anderson Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Houston, Texas, United States

Baylor College of Medicine

🇺🇸

Houston, Texas, United States

Houston Methodist Hospital

🇺🇸

Houston, Texas, United States

Memorial Hermann

🇺🇸

Houston, Texas, United States

Providence Regional Medical Center

🇺🇸

Everett, Washington, United States

Monash Medical Centre

🇦🇺

Clayton, Australia

St. George Hospital

🇦🇺

Kogarah, Australia

Prince of Wales Hospital

🇦🇺

Randwick, Australia

Royal North Shore Hospital

🇦🇺

St. Leonards, Australia

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