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Idiopathic Pulmonary FibrosisIERATICNCT05313672

Inspiratory Effort and Respiratory Mechanics in Spontaneously Breathing Patients With Acute Exacerbation of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: a Matched Control Study

An observational study of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, run by Roberto Tonelli.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
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Trial summary

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a life-threatening lung disease characterized by progressive deterioration of lung function and a median survival time of 3-5 years from diagnosis. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
How many people
20 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
1 Aug 2016to 1 Aug 2026
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: Patients with IPF developing AE consecutively admitted to the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit and the Intensive Care Unit of the University Hospital of Modena over the period August 1st, 2016 to January 1th, 2022 were prospectively considered eligible for enrollment.

Who may be able to join

  • previously established diagnosis of IPF; occurring acute exacerbation of IPF as defined by an acute, clinically significant respiratory deterioration characterized by evidence of new widespread alveolar abnormality on chest CT scan (12); age >18 years; presence of ARF with PaO2/FiO2 ratio <200 mmHg despite HFNC (set with at least 60 L/min and FiO2 higher than 0.6); suitability for a NIV trial according to the attending staff; consent to measure esophageal pressure.

Who cannot join

  • acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema,
  • concomitant hypercapnic respiratory failure (PaCO2 >45 mmHg) of any etiology,
  • neuromuscular disease or chest wall deformities,
  • home long-term oxygen therapy,
  • intolerance or contraindication to NIV, such as the need for immediate endotracheal intubation

About this study

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a life-threatening lung disease characterized by progressive deterioration of lung function and a median survival time of 3-5 years from diagnosis. The onset of an acute deterioration (AE) of respiratory function, the so called acute exacerbation of IPF (AE-IPF), may lead to severe hypoxemia, further worsening prognosis. During these events, the typical usual interstitial pneumonia pattern (UIP) - the radiologic and histologic hallmark of IPF- is overlapped with diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), sharing similarities with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and often requiring respiratory assistance. Several studies show that the need for mechanical ventilation (MV) is associated with high mortality in IPF patients, probably due to the pathophysiological properties of UIP-like fibrotic lung (i.e. collapse induration areas, elevated lung elastance, high inhomogeneity) that make it more susceptible to ventilatory-induced lung injury (VILI). It has been theorized that the application of PEEP on a UIP-like lung pattern can determine the protrusion of the most distensible areas through a dense anelastic fibrotic tissue circles, causing increased rigidity, worsening compliance, and thus enabling tissue breakdown. In this scenario, non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) may therefore represent an alternative option to assist these patients, although no specific recommendations have been made so far. In patients with ARDS, the efficacy of NIV in reducing the patient's inspiratory effort early after its application has been related to a favorable clinical outcome. Indeed, the mitigation of respiratory drive might have resulted in a lower risk for the self-inflicted lung injury (SILI) during spontaneous breathing, whose onset is very likely to worse outcomes of patients undergoing acute respiratory failure (ARF).

To date no data available on the inspiratory effort and the lung mechanics in patients with AE-IPF either during unassisted of assisted spontaneous breathing. Aim of this study was then to compare respiratory mechanics, at baseline and 2-h following NIV application, in AE-IPF and ARDS patients matched for severity.

Keywords
Inspiratory effort, Esophageal manometry, Non-invasive mechanical ventilation
Medical subject headings
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

Study groups in NCT05313672
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
IPF patients with UIP pattern requiring NIVNot described
ARDS patients requiring NIVNot described

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Inspiratory effort in IPF patients

    Assessment of esophageal pressure swing in IPF patients during acute exacerbation of disease as compared to ARDS

    Measured: On respiratory intensive care unit admission

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Respiratory mechanics change after NIV application in IPF patients acute exacerbation

    Respiratory mechanics change after NIV application in IPF patients acute exacerbation as compared to ARDS

    Measured: 2 hours

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted6 Apr 2022
  2. Study start1 Aug 2016
  3. Primary completion1 Apr 2022
  4. Study completion1 Aug 2026 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Retrospective
Enrolment
20 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05313672
Sponsor's protocol ID
UModenaReggio21
Acronym
IERATIC
Status last verified
Apr 2025
First submitted
28 Mar 2022
Last updated
25 Apr 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, run by Roberto Tonelli.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Apr 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Inspiratory effort in IPF patients (time frame: On respiratory intensive care unit admission). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Apr 2025.

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