PEEP Incremental and Decremental Alveolar Recruitment of Critically Ill Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) Patients
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04360837 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : April 24, 2020
Last Update Posted : February 15, 2022
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COVID-19 originated from Severe Acut Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leads to critical condition due to hypoxemic respiratory failure with the background of viral pneumonia. Both alevolar recruitment and the subsequent optimal positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) adjustment has a pivotal role in the elimination of atelectasis developed by inflammation in the lung parenchyma The gold standard of the follow up of recruitment manoeuvre is the chest computed tomography (CT) examination. However, reduction of intrahospital transport and the exposure with healthcare workers are recommended because of the extremely virulent pathogen spreading easily by droplet infection. In this case bedside investigations have an utmost importance in the management of hygiene regulations.
Electric impedance tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive, radiation free functional imaging technique easily applicable at the bedside.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
COVID-19 Virus; Pneumonia Atelectasis | Procedure: alveolar recruitment | Not Applicable |
COVID-19 originated from Severe Acut Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leads to critical condition in 5% of the cases due to hypoxemic respiratory failure with the background of viral pneumonia. 90% of these patients require invasive mechanical ventilation on critical care units. Both alevolar recruitment and the subsequent optimal positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) adjustment has a pivotal role in the eliminitaion of atelectasis developed by inflammation in the lung parenchyma.
The gold standard of the follow up of recruitment manoeuvre is the chest computed tomography (CT) examination. However, reduction of intrahospital transport and the exposure with healthcare workers are recommended because of the extremely virulent pathogen spreading easily by droplet infection. In this case bedside investigations have an utmost importance in the management of hygiene regulations.
Electric impedance tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive, radiation free functional imaging technique easily applicable at the bedside. With the help of EIT, intrathoracic impedance changes, resulting from air and blood volume variations, can be determined by circumferentially attached surface electrodes around the thorax, applying small alternating currents and measuring differences in surface potentials. The calculated difference in potential is utilised to reconstruct impedance images what is employed to assess ventilation and perfusion distribution. Several local and global variances can be estimated just like the ratio fo atelectatic/overdistended alveoli, the ratio of aeration in the anterior/posterior regions, the inhomogeneity of aeration or regional compliance.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 2 participants |
Allocation: | N/A |
Intervention Model: | Single Group Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Diagnostic |
Official Title: | PEEP Incremental and Decremental Alveolar Recruitment of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients Under Electric Impedance Tomography (EIT) |
Actual Study Start Date : | May 6, 2020 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | July 1, 2020 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | July 1, 2020 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: PEEP incremental-decremental alveolar recruitment
Repeating the above detailed intervention once daily as long as the patient is controlled ventilation. |
Procedure: alveolar recruitment
incremental and decremental positive end-expiratory pressure alveolar recruitment |
- Changes in lung compliance [ Time Frame: 20 minutes ]Estimation of change in compliance (ml/cmH2O) from the beginning to end of of the incremental/decremental PEEP alveolar recruitment.
- Change in global impedance [ Time Frame: 20 minutes ]Estimation of change in global impedance (%) from the beginning to end of of the incremental/decremental PEEP alveolar recruitment.
- Change in recruitability [ Time Frame: 7 days ]Estimation of change in global impedance (%) on a daily manner.
- Gas exchange [ Time Frame: 20 minutes and 7 days ]Change in arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) (mmHg) following recruitment
- Plateau pressure [ Time Frame: 20 minutes and 7 days ]Change in plateau pressure (cmH2O) following recruitment
- End expiratory lung impedance (EELI) [ Time Frame: 20 minutes and 7 days ]Change in end expiratory lung impedance (%)
- Antero-to-posterior ventilation ratio [ Time Frame: 20 minutes and 7 days ]Change in antero-to-posterior ventilation ratio (%) following intervention
- Center of ventilation [ Time Frame: 20 minutes and 7 days ]Change in center of ventilation (%) following intervention
- Global inhomogeneity index [ Time Frame: 20 minutes and 7 days ]Change in global inhomogeneity index (%) following intervention

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 99 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- SARS-CoV-2 positivity confirmed by polymerase chain reaction
- orotracheally intubated patients
- pressure control ventilation mode
- sedation level of minimum -4 on the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS)
Exclusion Criteria:
- age under 18
- pregnancy
- pulmonectomy, lung resection in the past medical history
- clinically end stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- sever hemodynamic instability (vasopressor refractory shock)
- sever bullous emphysema and/or spontaneous pneumothorax in the past medical history chest drainage in situ due to pneumothorax and/or bronchopleural fistula

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT04360837
Hungary | |
University of Szeged | |
Szeged, Hungary, 6725 |
Principal Investigator: | András Lovas, MD PhD | SZTE AITI |
Other Publications:
Responsible Party: | András Lovas, consultatnt in critical care and anaesthesiology, Szeged University |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT04360837 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
COVID-19EIT |
First Posted: | April 24, 2020 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | February 15, 2022 |
Last Verified: | February 2022 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
COVID-19 Pneumonia, Viral Pulmonary Atelectasis Respiratory Tract Infections Infections Pneumonia Virus Diseases |
Coronavirus Infections Coronaviridae Infections Nidovirales Infections RNA Virus Infections Lung Diseases Respiratory Tract Diseases |