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Spinal Cord Stimulation to Shorten Ventilator Dependence in ARDS Patients

Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation to Improve Respiratory Function and Shorten Ventilator Dependence in Patients with ARDS

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05928052
Enrollment
20
Registered
2023-07-03
Start date
2023-04-18
Completion date
2029-01-06
Last updated
2025-03-10

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

Conditions

Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Keywords

Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Brief summary

This is an early phase, proof-of-concept clinical trial assessing the safety and feasibility of non-invasive spinal cord stimulation to prevent respiratory muscle atrophy in mechanically ventilated ARDS patients. The investigators will recruit 10 elective surgery patients (surgery cohort) and 10 ARDS patients (ARDS cohort) for this study. A non-invasive, alpha-prototype Restore Technology stimulator using hydrogel surface electrodes will be used to stimulate the spinal cord at the cervical or thoracic level.

Detailed description

Stimulation will be conducted in closed-loop fashion at the start of inspiratory cycle. Signal from a chest belt will be used to synchronize stimulation with ventilator and prevent interference with ventilator (see Protection of Human Subjects). Prior to treatment stimulation, mapping will be conducted at 1 Hz with electrodes placed in locations identified to be optimal in the surgery cohort. Assessment of evoked EMG responses from respiratory muscles will be conducted. Once this electrode configuration is confirmed as effective (capable of evoking EMG activity), stimulation with this configuration will be applied for treatment.

Interventions

DEVICETranscutaneous Biopac Electrical Stimulator

A transcutaneous electrical stimulator sends low levels of electrical current through surface hydrogel electrodes directly to the spinal cord to improve function.

Sponsors

University of California, Los Angeles
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

1. Male or female 18-85 years; 2. Intubated with confirmed diagnosis of ARDS (by Berlin Criteria: acute onset within one week of known insult, bilateral airspace opacities not fully explained by pleural effusions, atelectasis, and/or nodules, respiratory failure not explained by heart failure or fluid overload, PaO2/FiO2 ratio \< 300); or identified as a patient admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after non-cardiac surgery; 3. Able to provide informed consent or available next of kin able to provide informed consent; 4. Have intact chest/lung, upper and lower extremity anatomy; 5. The neuromuscular connections between the spinal cord, diaphragm, and intercostal muscles are intact; 6. Enrollment of subject within 48 hours of intubation; 7. Able to induce evoked response of diaphragm muscle by spinal cord TES.

Exclusion criteria

1. Phrenic nerve or diaphragm pacer; 2. History of seizure disorder or on anti-epileptic medication for the treatment of seizures; 3. Compromised skin in back (neck, upper and lower back); 4. Pregnancy; 5. Implanted devices: cardiac pacemakers, implanted defibrillators, implanted neurostimulators, phrenic nerve pacers; 6. BMI greater than or equal to 35; 7. Pharmacological paralysis/neuromuscular blockade\*.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Recording of significant stimulation-induced adverse events (AE)1-48 monthsAlthough unlikely, we will record and monitor the number of stimulation-induced adverse events per case and per cohort. Our goal is to have an overall AE rate of less than 10% per cohort.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Measurement of diaphragm thickness1-48 monthsEvidence of maintenance of diaphragm muscle thickness (in mm) by ultrasound
Assessment of diaphragm and respiratory muscle EMG amplitudes1-48 monthsEMG amplitudes of diaphragm and other muscles involved in respiration (intercostals, trapezius, abdominal) will be measured at a couple time points throughout the study period to determine if stimulation can maintain muscle response.
Recording of total ventilation time1-48 monthsThe total time that patient is ventilated will be recorded to determine if stimulation reduces total intubation time
Assessment of respiratory tidal volume1-48 monthsRespiratory Tidal Volume (voluntary and resting) will be recorded (in mL) to determine if stimulation assists in maintaining or improving lung capacity.
Measurement of ventilator weaning time1-48 monthsMeasurements of ventilator weaning time will be recorded to determine if stimulation assists in decreasing the total time from complete intubation to complete extubation.
Measurement of respiratory pressure1-48 monthsPeak Inspiratory and Expiratory pressure measurements (in mm Hg) will be recorded from ventilation units to determine if stimulation maintains or improves respiratory airway pressure.

Countries

United States

Contacts

Primary ContactDaniel Lu, MD, PhD
dclu@mednet.ucla.edu310-825-4321
Backup ContactJames C Leiter, MD
jleiter@mednet.ucla.edu603-650-6130

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026