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Prone Position in Patients on High-flow Nasal Oxygen Therapy for COVID-19 (HIGH-PRONE-COVID-19)

Evaluation of Prone Position in Conscious Patients on Nasal High-flow Oxygen Therapy for COVID-19 Disease Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04358939
Enrollment
405
Registered
2020-04-24
Start date
2020-04-27
Completion date
2021-02-21
Last updated
2025-12-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, COVID-19

Keywords

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Nasal High-Flow, Prone position

Brief summary

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) induces high mortality, particularly in the context of COVID-19 disease. Preliminary data from patients with ARDS related to COVID-19 disease appear to show significant effectiveness of prone positioning in intubated patients in terms of oxygenation as well as nasal high flow therapy before intubation. It should be noted that in Jiangsu province, secondarily affected, nasal high flow combined with the prone position was successfully integrated into care protocols. The investigators hypothesize that the combined application of nasal high flow and prone positioning can significantly improve the outcome of patients suffering from COVID-19 pneumonia by reducing the need for tracheal intubation and associated therapeutics such as sedation and paralysis, resulting in both individual and collective benefits in terms of use of scarce critical care resources. Investigators hypothesize that the combined application of nasal high-flow and prone positioning can significantly improve the outcome of patients suffering from COVID-19 pneumonia by reducing the need for intubation and associated therapeutics such as sedation and paralysis, resulting in both individual and collective benefits in terms of use of scarce critical care resources.

Detailed description

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) induces high mortality, particularly in the context of COVID-19 disease. In patients with ARDS who are mechanically ventilated invasively through a tracheal tube and with a PaO2/FiO2 ratio (arterial oxygen partial pressure to inspired oxygen fraction ratio) of less than 150 mmHg, prone positioning significantly reduced mortality. Furthermore, nasal high flow, a non-invasive respiratory support and oxygenation technique, reduced the need for tracheal intubation and reduced mortality among the most severe patients (PaO2/FiO2 ratio less than 200 mmHg) suffering from acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Prone positioning of ARDS patients treated with nasal high-flow was evaluated in 20 patients with predominantly viral pneumonia. The prone positioning was found to be feasible and associated with an increased PaO2/FiO2 ratio. Preliminary data from patients with ARDS related to COVID-19 disease appear to show a significant effect of prone positioning in intubated patients in terms of oxygenation improvement as well as nasal high-high flow appears effective in non-intubated patients. For instance, nearly half intensive care unit patients described in the princeps cohort in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, had received nasal high-flow. It should be noted that in Jiangsu province, secondarily affected, nasal high-flow combined with prone positioning was successfully integrated into care protocols. Investigators hypothesize that the combined application of nasal high-flow and prone positioning can significantly improve the outcome of patients suffering from COVID-19 pneumonia by reducing the need for intubation and associated therapeutics such as sedation and paralysis, resulting in both individual and collective benefits in terms of use of scarce critical care resources.

Interventions

OTHERProne decubitus

According to the tolerance, the objective is to spend as much time as possible, up to 16 hours and beyond in prone position every 24 hours. At least two sessions of at least 30 minutes each must be performed daily.

Sponsors

University Hospital, Tours
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Adult patient * with COVID-19 pneumonia according to the diagnostic criteria in effect at the time of inclusion or very highly suspected. * Patient treated with nasal high-flow * Mild, moderate or severe ARDS: bilateral radiological opacities not fully explained by effusions, atelectasis or nodules; acute hypoxemia with worsening within the previous 7 days, not fully explained by left ventricular failure; PaO2/FiO2 ratio \< 300 mmHg (or equivalent SpO2/FiO2). * Covered by or having the rights to French social security * Informed Consent

Exclusion criteria

Pregnant or breastfeeding woman * Indication for immediate tracheal intubation * Progressive significant acute circulatory insufficiency * Impaired alertness, confusion, restlessness * Body mass index \> 40 kg/m2 * Thoracic trauma or other contraindication to prone position * Pneumothorax with single anterior thoracic drain and persistent bubbling * Vulnerable person: safeguard of justice, guardianship or authorship known at inclusion

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Therapeutic failure within 14 days of randomizationFrom randomization to day 14Therapeutic failure is defined by death or intubation or use of non-invasive ventilation at two pressure levels.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Timeframe of intubation or deathFrom randomization to day 28
Timeframe of therapeutic escalation (in case of non-invasive ventilation at two pressure levels)From randomization to day 28
Evolution of oxygenation (PaO2/FiO2 ratio or SpO2/FiO2 surrogate) over the 14 days following randomizationFrom randomization to day 14
Evolution of the SpO2/FiO2 ratio during the first prone sessionFrom randomization to day 1
Evolution of the ROX index during the first prone sessionFrom randomization to day 1ROX index is the ratio of pulse oximetry (SpO2)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) to respiratory rate.
Evolution of the World Health Organization disease severity score of COVIDFrom randomization to day 28Score reaches from 1 to 7, 7 indicates worse outcome
Therapeutic failure within 28 days of randomizationFrom randomization to day 28Therapeutic failure is defined by death or intubation or use of non-invasive ventilation at two pressure levels.
Occurrence of skin lesions on the anterior surface of the bodyFrom randomization to day 28
Displacement of invasive devices during reversalsFrom randomization to day 28Invasive devices include : central and peripheric vascular catheters, tracheal tube, urinary catheter, chest tubes.
Days of nasal High-Flow therapy use in the general population, in non-intubated patients and in intubated patientsFrom randomization to day 28
Days spent in the intensive care unit and in the hospitalFrom randomization to day 28
Mortality in the intensive care unit and in the hospitalFrom randomization to day 28
Ventilator-free-days within 28 days of randomizationFrom randomization to day 28
Patient comfort before, during and after the first prone position sessionFrom randomization to day 1Comfort evaluted by the patient through a visual analogical scale

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 21, 2026