Non-sedation Versus Sedation With a Daily Wake-up Trial in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation - Effects on Physical Function

Non-sedation Versus Sedation With a Daily Wake-up Trial in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation - Effects on Physical Function

Substudy of Non-Seda Trial (NCT01967680): Non-sedation Versus Sedation With a Daily Wake-up Trial in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation - Effects on Physical Function. An Investigator-initiated, Randomised, Clinical, Parallel-group, Multinational, Superiority Trial

Critically ill, ventilator-treated patients rapidly loose much of their muscle mass and strength. This can attribute to prolonged admission, prolonged mechanical ventilation, increased mortality and might have a negative impact on the physical function, degree of independence and quality of life. The pathophysiological background for the loss of muscle mass as well as possible effective treatment is still not well established. In the NONSEDA-trial we randomise critically ill patients to non-sedation or sedation with a daily wake-up trial during mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU). It has never been assessed whether non-sedation reduces the loss of muscle mass and strength. Aim: To assess the effects of non-sedation versus sedation with a daily wake-up trial on physical function after discharge from ICU. Hypothesis: that non-sedation during ventilator-treatment will improve the physical function after ICU-discharge, compared with standard treatment of sedation with a daily wake-up.

The experimental group will not receive sedatives. Patients are thoroughly and repeatedly informed by the staff of where they are, what have happened, and what type of treatment they are going to receive. Participants will be awake and have a natural sleep rhythm. In case these patients develop and outward delirium, it is necessary to have a nurse or other caregiver at the bedside in order to calm the patient. Patients with delirium will be treated with haloperidol.

The control group will be sedated to Ramsay score 3-4. The first 48 hours the patients will be sedated with propofol, after 48 hours midazolam will be used. During daytime, the patient will be awakened as the intravenous infusion of sedatives will be discontinued. The patient will be considered to be awake when he/she can perform at least three of the following four tasks: Open the eyes to verbal commands. Follow the examiner's instructions with the eyes. Squeeze hands on request. Stick out the tongue on request. After a successful wake-up, the infusion of sedative will be resumed, starting on half of the pre-wake-up dose and adjusted to Ramsey score 3-4.

Co-primary outcome of: patient-reported quality of life, as measured by SF-36v2, physical component and degree of independence in activities of daily living, as measured by Barthel Index. Since this is a co-primary outcome, the type I error probability associated with the test of the null hypothesis should be less than 0,025.

Muscle strength, measured using biomechanical measurements - Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), rate of force developement (RFD) and endurance at 25% of MVC at 3 months follow-up

Muscle strength - Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), rate of force developement (RFD) and endurance at 25% of MVC at ICU-discharge.

Muscle size, measured as cross section area of the rectus femoris muscle at ekstubation and at ICU-discharge

Inclusion Criteria: Endotracheally intubated Expected time on ventilator > 24 hours Age ≥ 18 years Informed consent Exclusion Criteria: Severe head trauma where therapeutic coma is indicated Therapeutic hypothermia where therapeutic coma is indicated Status epilepticus where therapeutic coma is indicated Patient has participated in the study before Patient is transferred from another ICU with length of stay > 48 hours Patient is comatose at admission PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 9, if sedation is necessary for oxygenation

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Nedergaard HK, Jensen HI, Olsen HT, Strom T, Lauridsen JT, Sjogaard G, Toft P. Effect of non-sedation on physical function in survivors of critical illness - A substudy of the NONSEDA randomized trial. J Crit Care. 2021 Apr;62:58-64. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.11.017. Epub 2020 Nov 24.

Nedergaard HK, Jensen HI, Lauridsen JT, Sjogaard G, Toft P. Non-sedation versus sedation with a daily wake-up trial in critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation--effects on physical function: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial: a substudy of the NONSEDA trial. Trials. 2015 Jul 23;16:310. doi: 10.1186/s13063-015-0856-1.