Total Haemoglobin In Ventilated patiEnts The ‘THrIVE’ study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Measuring total haemoglobin mass (tHb-mass) in ventilated patients – a feasibility-pilot study Short title: Total Haemoglobin In Ventilated patiEnts- The ‘THrIVE’ study
IRAS ID
208437
Contact name
Michael PW Grocott
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
R&D Department University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 16 days
Research summary
We usually measure the amount of haemoglobin in the blood by a simple blood test that measures its concentration. Blood is mostly water (plasma) with the haemoglobin and factors that help the blood clot (clotting factors) suspended in this plasma. Think of it much in the same way as adding an oxo™ cube to some water, the oxo™ cube represents the haemoglobin and that water represents the plasma.
At present we have a technique to measure total haemoglobin mass (tHb-mass) in people who are awake. However no one has ever tried to measure this in a person who is attached to a machine that is helping him or her breathe (a mechanical ventilator).
This research project aims to change that. We have developed a ‘new technique’ that we hope will allow us to accurately measure tHb-mass in patients that are being ventilated and who are under anaesthetic (completely unconscious). Our aim is to measure this ‘new technique’ in people who are not critically unwell to prove that it works before we use the ‘new technique’ on patients who are critically unwell.
The new test involves slightly modifying some equipment that we normally use in the operating theatre but does not involve using any equipment that has never before been used in human subjects. The equipment is also being used for its usual purpose the only difference is the order in which it is positioned. We hope to make measurements on 20 subjects who are due to have an elective operation and therefore a general anaesthetic. We would like to compare the results of the ‘standard technique’ with our ‘new technique’.
If we were successful then the second phase of our work would be to make measurements in other patients who are on breathing machines such as patients in the ICU.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SC/0334
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion