WAVE study - Weaning Algorithms for mechanical VEntilation

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Weaning from mechanical ventilation: comparison of open-loop decision support system and routine care in cardiothoracic patients.

• IRAS ID

  239144

• Contact name

  Cliff Morgan

• Contact email

  c.morgan@rbht.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  3 years, 0 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  Patients residing in the intensive care unit (ICU) typically receive support for their breathing from a mechanical ventilator. This delivers a volume and pressure of gas for each breath and can vary oxygen levels. Selecting the correct oxygen, pressure and volume levels is important, as incorrect levels can harm the patient, and result in an increased time connected to the ventilator. Selecting the correct levels is however difficuilt, and depends upon the individual patient and their disease. Recently, a system has been developed (the Beacon Caresystem) which advises the healthcare practitioner by the bedside as to how to best set the ventilator. This system is based on mathematics which describes the patients disease and may therefore provide ventilator settings which better suit the individual. The purpose of this study is to see if the advice from the Beacon Caresystem reduces the time spent connected to the ventilator, i.e. increases the speed of ventilator weaning. This study will look at cardio-thoracic ICU patients. Patients are divided into two groups. For these groups, ventilator settings are decided by either the healthcare practitioner alone or with advice from the Beacon Caresystem. For each of these groups the time patients spend connected to the ventilator will be measured, and it will be assessed whether using the Beacon Caresystem reduces this time. If so, then this should reduce the number of complications associated with being connected to the ventilator, such as the risk of lung injury, infection, muscle wasting and patient discomfort; and as such reduce the risk of death and the economic costs associated with mechanical ventilation

• REC name

  London - South East Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  18/LO/0282

• Date of REC Opinion

  24 May 2018

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion