Evaluating a Web-Based Ventilator Management Educational Program for Clinicians (The Lung Injury Knowledge Network [LINK] Study)

Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult Clinical Trial

— LINK  

Official title:

Improving Ventilator Management and Preventing Injury to Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Active, not recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00542737
• Other study ID #: 518
• Secondary ID: R01HL067939GC1#
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• First received: October 10, 2007
• Last updated: July 9, 2013
• Start date: February 2009
• Est. completion date: July 2014

Study information

• Verified date: August 2010
• Source: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Federal Government
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) is a severe lung condition that causes respiratory failure. Individuals with ALI/ARDS often require the use of a respirator or artificial breathing machine, known as a mechanical ventilator, while in an intensive care unit (ICU). Research has shown that lung protective ventilation (LPV), a type of mechanical ventilation technique, is an effective way to reduce the number of deaths due to ALI/ARDS. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a Web-based educational program that aims to educate ICU clinicians about the use of LPV in patients with ALI/ARDS.

Description:

ALI/ARDS is a life-threatening condition that involves inflammation of the lungs and fluid accumulation in the air sacs, leading to low blood oxygen levels and respiratory failure. Common causes include pneumonia, septic shock, and lung trauma, and most patients require immediate care in an ICU. The main form of treatment for ALI/ARDS is the delivery of oxygen and a continuous level of pressure to the damaged lungs through mechanical ventilation. Each year, 74,500 people die due to ALI/ARDS and 22% of these deaths could be prevented with the use of LPV. LPV is a mechanical ventilation technique in which lower volumes of oxygen are administered. The purpose of this study is to implement and evaluate a Web-based educational program that will provide educational and instructional resources about ALI/ARDS and LPV to ICU clinicians, including physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists.

Hospitals participating in this study will be randomly assigned to access the Web site at either the beginning of the study period or a later time. Participating clinicians at each hospital will access the Web site as often as necessary for a 6-month period. The Web site will contain background and educational information on ALI/ARDS and LPV, including how to recognize ALI/ARDS and how to implement LPV in patients. Scholarly articles and other materials, including a chart to help clinicians determine appropriate ventilator settings for each patient, will be available to download. Clinicians will also be able to email questions to critical care experts. At the end of the 6-month study period, study staff will compare the number of patients receiving LPV to the number of patients who received LPV prior to the start of the study.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Enrollment: 120
• Est. completion date: July 2014
• Est. primary completion date: September 2013
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria for Hospitals:

• Between 10 and 20 ICU beds with 5 to 10 ALI/ARDS patients cared for each month

• Provide critical care services

• Keep electronic medical records on ICU patients

• ICU staff must have access to computers with Intranet or Internet

Inclusion Criteria for Clinicians:

• Provide care for mechanically ventilated patients in ICUs

• Willing to participate by viewing Web site

Exclusion Criteria for Hospitals:

• Cardiac, cardiothoracic, neurosurgical, neonatal, or pediatric ICUs

• Residents and fellows must provide care to majority of critically ill patients

• Fewer than 5 to 10 ALI/ARDS patients cared for each month

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Acute Lung Injury
• Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult
• Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Web-Based Educational Program
Participating clinicians at each hospital will access the Web site as often as necessary for a 6-month period. The Web site will contain background and educational information on ALI/ARDS and LPV, including how to recognize ALI/ARDS and how to implement LPV in patients. Scholarly articles and other materials, including a chart to help clinicians determine appropriate ventilator settings for each patient, will be available to download. Clinicians will also be able to email questions to critical care experts.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Health Sciences	Toronto	Ontario

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre	National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Percentage of eligible patients with ALI/ARDS who are receiving LPV		Measured at Month 6	No