Active clinical trials for "Critical Illness"

Relative glutamine (GLN) deficiency may contribute to morbidity and mortality in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients. During critical illness, GLN utilization by the immune system, gut mucosa and other tissues exceeds endogenous production and plasma GLN concentrations decrease, which may contribute to cellular dysfunction and increase nosocomial infection risk and mortality. Conventional GLN-free parenteral nutrition (PN) has a limited impact on SICU outcomes and does not repair the GLN deficit. Recent pilot data show that GLN dipeptide-supplemented PN decreases nosocomial infections and improves clinical outcomes in SICU patients. The process of benefit is poorly understood, but animal and human data suggest that GLN treatment correlates with a) up-regulation of cytoprotective molecules in blood and tissues [e.g, GSH, specific heat shock proteins (HSPs) and GLN]; and b) improved epithelial barrier defenses and immune cell number and function. Properties of L-GLN limit provision in solution, but the GLN dipeptide alanyl-GLN (AG) confers stability and solubility in PN (AG-PN). Investigators propose a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled phase III trial based on our pilot data to test the hypothesis that AG-PN improves clinical outcomes in SICU patients requiring PN after cardiac, vascular or colonic operations. Subjects will receive either standard GLN-free PN or isocaloric, isonitrogenous, AG-PN until enteral feeds are established. Specific Aim 1 is to determine whether AG-PN decreases hospital mortality, nosocomial infection and other important indices of morbidity. Specific Aim 2 is to obtain novel, mechanistically relevant observational data in the Aim 1 subjects on whether AG-PN a) increases serial blood levels of GSH, HSP-70 and -27, and GLN; b) decreases the presence in serum of the bacterial products flagellin and LPS and the adaptive immune response to these mediators; and c) improves key indices of innate/adaptive immunity. This study is designed to delineate the clinical benefit of a major new nutrition support strategy in high-risk SICU patients. .

In a previous study, we showed that tight blood glucose control with insulin during intensive care reduced morbidity and mortality of surgical intensive care patients. Whether this intervention also improves prognosis of medical intensive care patients remains unknown. The current prospective, randomized, controlled study will assess the impact of intensive insulin therapy on the outcome of patients in a medical intensive care unit. On admission, patients will be randomly assigned to either strict normalization of blood glucose (80-110 mg/dl) with intensive insulin therapy or the conventional approach, in which insulin infusion is initiated only when blood glucose exceeds 215 mg/dl, to maintain blood glucose levels between 180 and 200 mg/dl.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of a low dose ketamine infusion used in combination of standard of care in critically ill patients to test whether ketamine can help to shorten the time of being in breathing tube and ventilator compared to the standard of care alone.

Effectiveness of Early Enteral Feeding With High Protein Polymeric Formula Versus Oligomeric Formula Versus 5% Dextrose Solution in Clinical Improvement and Malnutrition on Intensive Care Unit Patients Background : Critically ill patients are physiologically unstable, often have complex hypermetabolic responses to trauma. These patients are facing a high risk of death, multi-organ failure, and prolonged ventilator use. Nutrition is one of therapy for critical illness, however, patients often experience malnutrition caused by disease severity, delays in feeding, and miscalculation of calorie needs, therefore, appropriate management of enteral feeding formula should be done in preventing malnutrition and improve clinical outcome during intensive treatment. Objective: This study aims to evaluate clinical improvement and malnutrition in critically ill participants under two different early enteral feeding formulas versus parenteral feeding Methodology : A three-arm randomized trial is performed (parenteral (5% Dextrose), and enteral high-protein polymeric formula, and oligomeric formula.) at the Intensive Care Unit in Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital, Makassar, Indonesia. The enteral feedings are given through a nasogastric tube within 24-48 hours after intensive care unit (ICU) admission as well as the parenteral group. A meticulous record of the calories and protein of intake is maintained for 3 days follow up including clinical parameters. The changes between pre and post-intervention of clinical parameters and nutrition scoring are assessed as the outcome of the intervention Hypothesis : Enteral feeding with High Protein Formula provides a better clinical outcome and less malnutrition event in comparison to 5% Dextrose and Oligomeric Formula

Adequate nutritional support is an essential element for achieving favourable outcomes in critically ill patients. Therefore, an accurate determination of patients' energy needs is required to optimize nutritional support and reduce the harmful effects of under- and over-feeding. Currently, indirect calorimetry is considered as a gold standard for measuring energy expenditure during critical illness. This randomized study aims to investigate the impact of indirect calorimetry guided nutrition therapy on clinical outcomes such as ICU. Mortality, hospital mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of I.C.U./hospital stay and mascle wasting. The investigators hypothesis that nutrition therapy guided by IC will improve clinical outcomes in severely ill patients

In the ER of National Taiwan University Hospital, the critical patients are treated (including tracheal intubation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in either resuscitation area or negative pressure isolation rooms based on the past history and present illness. During COVID-19 epidemic, whether sequential changes in environmental and personal protective equipment would change the difference of treatment efficacy and patient safety remains unclear. Whether treating patients in resuscitation area or negative pressure isolation room would cause different physical and psychological stress of medical staff and environmental contamination is also unknown. This study aims to conduct a prospective sequential allocation clinical trial to investigate the success rate, patient safety, physical and psychological stress of medical staff, and the risk of environmental contamination of tracheal intubation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation between the resuscitation area and negative pressure isolation room. The results of the study may be used to improve the protocol and protective policy in treating critical patients during an epidemic.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of an early and integral communication strategy (EICS) versus standard care, on the rate of depressive symptoms at 3 months after discharge from the ICU, in patients with severe Covid-19, their family members and health personnel. Evaluating the rate of depressive symptoms at 3 months after discharge from the ICU, with a) Hospital Anxiety and Depression, b) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (S)

High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is a rather novel system to provide oxygen therapy, which provides flows up to 60 liters/minute (LPM) of heated and humidified gas through nasal prongs. HFNC is increasingly being used in patients with acute respiratory failure. In healthy volunteers and in patients with acute respiratory failure it has been shown to induce several effects beyond those expected for a standard oxygen therapy, such as increased carbon dioxide (CO2) clearance and positive airway pressure. One of the potential indications for HFNC is to facilitate weaning from mechanical ventilation and extubation. As weaning failure is one of the most complex challenges in mechanically ventilated patients, the use of HFNC after extubation, in order to prevent reintubation, has been evaluated in some clinical trials, with promising results. However, the role of HFNC postextubation is still controversial, and information regarding its effects on the pathophysiologic mechanisms of weaning failure is lacking. The goal of this proposal is to compare the acute physiologic effects of postextubation HFNC versus standard oxygen therapy, in critically ill patients, on relevant mechanisms related to weaning failure: work of breathing, lung function, systemic hemodynamics. This will be a randomized crossover study which will include critically ill mechanically ventilated patients, who fulfill criteria indicating they may be ready for weaning from mechanical ventilation, and in whom a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) is planned to determine if they should be extubated. After checking eligibility and obtaining informed consent, patients will be monitored with an esophageal catheter (esophageal / gastric pressures to determine work of breathing, and electric activity of diaphragm to determine neuromechanical coupling), and a noninvasive ventilation monitor (electric impedance tomography to assess global and regional ventilation). Work of breathing, lung function, and systemic hemodynamics will be assessed during the SBT. Inclusion in the study will be confirmed only if they pass the SBT and are extubated. During the first 2 hours after extubation patients will undergo one hour of HFNC and one hour of standard oxygen therapy, with the crossover sequence being randomized previously at the time of inclusion, and with assessments repeated at the end of each treatment period.

Prospective multi-center phase 2b randomized placebo-controlled double-blinded interventional platform trial of two different pharmacologic therapies (intravenous Vitamin C or intravenous Acetaminophen) for patients with sepsis-induced hypotension or respiratory failure.

Critically ill patients who require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are the sickest in the hospital. More patients are surviving but survivors have compromised functional recovery for months or years. This trial aims to determine if early, physical training commenced within 48 hours of ECMO is feasible and improves muscle strength and functional status in patients compared to standard practice in a randomised controlled trial of 30 ICU patients.