7 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The purpose of this study is to determine if administering methadone to mechanically ventilated patients in the medical intensive care unit (ICU) requiring continuous infusions of sedatives and analgesics will decrease the time of mechanical ventilation, when initiated within 48 hours of their admission. Patients meeting enrollment criteria will be randomly assigned to receive methadone or placebo in addition to standard care. Methadone is a long acting pain medication that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manage withdrawal from opioids and moderate to severe pain. Both of these indications are a frequent concern for critically ill patients that require mechanical ventilation. These patients often require intravenous (IV) opioids to manage the pain they experience due to their illness, procedures, and mechanical ventilation. During this time patients can develop physical dependence, which leads to withdrawal symptoms when the opioids are stopped or the dose is reduced. These symptoms can include agitation, pain, diarrhea and several others. Currently this is managed by a slow reduction in the dose of the IV opioid, but this can lead to prolonged time on mechanical ventilation, which has been associated with increased morbidity. Administering oral methadone to patients experiencing withdrawal symptoms has been shown to reduce and even eliminate these symptoms in the outpatient setting. This should also benefit patients in the ICU experiencing withdrawal from intravenous opioids required during their stay. It may allow for the other opioids to be discontinued more quickly, allowing for a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation. The level of pain and sedation will be assessed between groups randomized to either methadone or placebo in addition to current intravenous sedative and analgesic agents. The duration of mechanical ventilation will be assessed between both groups. Opioid withdrawal symptoms may manifest or be mistaken for delirium symptoms. ICU delirium is often managed with antipsychotic medications. To assess if methadone can reduce the need for antipsychotic medication, all administered antipsychotic doses will be recorded and total consumption will be compared between the two groups. Methadone has been associated with abnormal heart rhythms in rare instances. To ensure patient safety, data from the heart monitor will be collected and compared between the two groups to assess for QT interval prolongation.
A growing body of knowledge has documented that the diaphragm, the primary muscle of breathing, atrophies and weakens within days of instituting mechanical ventilation support. Diaphragm weakness has been implicated as a major contributor to difficulty with weaning, or breathing without ventilator support. This study will test whether instituting a diaphragm strength training rehabilitation program will reduce the time patients require mechanical ventilation in a surgical intensive care setting.
The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of methadone on the duration on mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients receiving more than 72 hours of mechanical ventilation (MV) by comparing the number of ventilator free days from enrollment to the time of discharge, to assess the safety of methadone administration in critically ill patients while in the hospital and to determine hospital length of stay from the time of enrollment to the time of discharge
Probiotics are commercially available live bacteria thought to have health benefits when ingested. A literature review of probiotic studies in the intensive care unit (ICU) found that in patients who receive probiotics, there is a 25% reduction in lung infection, known as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). There is also an 18% reduction in the chance of developing any infection in the ICU. However, the studies reviewed were small and not well done. Therefore, whether probiotics are really helpful or not is unclear. Before a large carefully performed study is done to evaluate the effects of probiotics in critically ill patients, a pilot trial is needed. The investigators plan to study the feasibility of such a trial in mechanically ventilated ICU patients in 11 ICUs in Ontario, investigating whether orally ingested L. rhamnosus GG (a common probiotic) prevents VAP and other infections. The 4 goals of the pilot study will be to ensure that we can successfully enrol patients; follow the protocol faithfully; make sure patients don't receive additional probiotics, and estimate how much pneumonia exists in these patients. In a separate substudy, the investigators will evaluate the effects of probiotics on lower lung infiltration with potential harmful bacteria, stool bacteria, markers of immunity called cytokines, and markers of infection called endotoxin levels. The investigators plan to enroll 150 adults admitted to ICU and receiving mechanical ventilation. Following informed consent, patients will be randomized to either L. rhamnosus GG group or an identical placebo. Twice daily, patients will receive probiotics or placebo in a feeding tube. The investigators will record all infections and other important outcomes in the ICU. This study is very important in the ongoing search for more effective strategies to prevent serious infection during critical illness. Probiotics may be an easy-to-use, readily available, inexpensive approach to help future critically ill patients around the world.
The goal of this pilot study is to test the hypothesis that mechanically ventilated infants receiving Biotene OralBalance® gel for oral care would have a reduced intubation time compared to infants receiving oral care placebo. This study is also performed to test the feasibility as well the safety of Biotene OralBalance® gel.
The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of a clinical decision support system (CDSS) in children receiving mechanical ventilation (MV) after surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD). The main question it aims to answer is: -What is the impact of a CDSS designed to facilitate weaning and discontinuation of MV on the duration of MV in post-operative congenital cardiac surgery patients? Participants will be identified as eligible to initiate weaning from mechanical ventilation. Providers will decide whether or not to initiate weaning based on recommendations provided by the CDSS. Researchers will compare patients exposed to the CDSS with a historical cohort to see if the CDSS facilitated a decrease in MV duration.
This study aims to explore how the timing of Spontaneous Breathing Trials (SBTs) affects recovery in adult patients who are on mechanical ventilation in the ICU. SBTs are tests used to determine if a patient is ready to breathe on their own without the help of a ventilator. The study will compare two different timing strategies for these trials: one group of patients will have the test early in the morning, while the other group will have it later in the morning. By observing the outcomes, such as how long patients need to stay on the ventilator, the study hopes to find the best time to perform these trials to help patients recover more quickly and safely.