Oxygen consumption in critical illness
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Measurement of oxygen consumption in critical illness using optical gas analysis
IRAS ID
136355
Contact name
J Duncan Young
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford
Research summary
BACKGROUND
Many serious illnesses are characterised by a lack of oxygen supply to the body’s tissues and many treatments aim to correct this. These include drugs to increase blood pressure, blood transfusions and breathing machines. One important factor used to guide decisions about treatment is an assessment of how much oxygen a patient is consuming. Unfortunately, the equipment and techniques needed to measure this properly have until now not been practical for routine use in intensive care. Doctors instead have to rely on a number of indicators of the adequacy of the amount of oxygen being provided, which all have limitations.IMPORTANCE
We have developed a way to accurately and rapidly measure how much oxygen is being consumed when a patient is on a breathing machine. This study will provide data to identify how changes in a patient’s condition and treatments alter this. Future studies might then seek to improve patient care by monitoring and optimising oxygen consumption.QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
We want to determine how changes in oxygen consumption relate to changes in a patient’s condition and treatments they are receiving.DESIGN
This is a ’longitudinal’ study where we will collect data on oxygen consumption over the course of up to 48 hours in individual patients. We will record treatments being used and changes that occur in their condition which appear to alter oxygen consumption. We will not be changing the way patients are treated based on the data we collect in this study. Taking part should not place any additional burden on patients other than talking to the study team about taking part.LOCATION AND FUNDING
The study will take place within adult intensive care units in the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. The study is being partly funded by The NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EE/0003
Date of REC Opinion
21 Mar 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion