PICU Physiotherapy-led lung ultrasound (PICU PLUS) v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Lung ultrasound score as a measure of change in lung aeration following respiratory physiotherapy in children who are mechanically ventilated
IRAS ID
349111
Contact name
Andrew Bush
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Brompton Hospital (part of Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Trust)
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 10 months, 31 days
Research summary
Background: Children who are admitted to a paediatric intensive care unit often require the use of a breathing machine (ventilator). Respiratory (chest) physiotherapy is part of routine care for these children with the aim to help clear secretions from the lungs and re-expand areas that may be less inflated after surgery.
It is important for physiotherapists to measure the effect of their treatment and ensure benefit for the child. Studies in adults, and very few in children, show that lung ultrasound may give useful measurements of change associated with respiratory physiotherapy. It may also be useful to guide physiotherapy treatments and monitor the results.
Research Aim: To identify if lung ultrasound can measure a change in the amount of air in the lung after respiratory physiotherapy in children who are ventilated.
Methodology: The study has two stages:
An observational study at the Royal Brompton Hospital will evaluate whether a doctor and physiotherapist who do a lung ultrasound independently will score it the same, and whether this score is consistent when the scan is re-checked on a separate occasion. This is important, because unless the results are consistent they will not be useful.
A second observational study will establish if the lung ultrasound score can detect a change in the amount of air in the lungs following a respiratory physiotherapy treatment and how this compares to changes seen in measurements of ventilation.
Children whose parents/legal guardian consent for them to take part will be studied at the time when they need a respiratory physiotherapy session. They will have a lung ultrasound 10 minutes before physiotherapy, and between 15 to 60 minutes after physiotherapy. Each lung ultrasound will take about 10 minutes and a score will be calculated.
Dissemination: The findings will be shared through presentation at scientific conferences and publication in journals.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
25/WS/0178
Date of REC Opinion
17 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion