In-vitro effect of intensive care drugs on the human pulmonary system
Research type
Research Study
Full title
In-vitro effects of intensive care drugs and gases on the human pulmonary system compared to the systemic circulation
IRAS ID
244175
Contact name
Priyadharshanan Ariyaratnam
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research & Development
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 25 days
Research summary
Importance of study:
Patients admitted to intensive care carry a high morbidity and mortality. These patients require high level support with drugs or inhalation strategies to maintain the function of the respiratory (pulmonary) and cardiovascular (systemic) system in keeping the patient alive. Whilst many of these drugs or inhalation gases effectively target their intended organ, they can have deleterious effects on the rest of the body.
For example, drugs used to treat Pulmonary Hypertension (which is a disease affecting the blood pressure in the lungs and which carries a high mortality) have side effects on the systemic circulation and vice versa.
The mechanisms underlying these differential effects are largely unknown but may be related to the differences in structure and drug-receptor concentrations.
Aim of Study:
The aim of this study is to investigate, in-vitro, the effects of drugs and inhalation reagents used in intensive care on both pulmonary vessels (pulmonary arteries and airways compared to systemic vessels (internal mammary arteries and long saphenous veins).
Study Specimens:
Human lung surplus tissue normally excised from patients during thoracic surgery as a consequence of lung cancer and surplus internal mammary artery and saphenous vein tissue normally excised as part of cardiac bypass surgery will be utilised.
Study methods: Effect of drugs and inhalation reagents will be analysed on this tissue using organ baths, ex-vivo tissue perfusion and myograph techniques. This will allow us to determine the differential mechanisms of action of these drugs on the pulmonary and systemic system as well as determine optimal dosing strategies to minimise side-effects of these drugs.
Future benefits: The study will run for 2 years in Castle Hill Hospital and the results will be published in the scientific and public arena. The results would allow for Clinical Trials to evaluate more targeted strategies to manage, for example, pulmonary hypertension in intensive care.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0202
Date of REC Opinion
13 Aug 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion