Clinical Research Directory

Epidemiology of Sleep Disordered Breathing in Children and Young People With Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) refers to a non-progressive movement disorder, which occurs due to damage to the developing brain around the time of birth. Symptoms of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) include noisy breathing during sleep,increased day-time sleepiness and reduced energy levels. In the long term, SDB might have an effect on the brain and learning, as well as putting strain on the heart. Children with CP have a higher risk of sleep breathing problems compared to typically-developing children, and the negative impact of sleep disturbance in children with CP on their family members/carers' sleep and mental health cannot be understated. Early recognition and management of SDB is important for children with CP to give these children the best possible sleep quality, and to maximise learning potential. SDB in children with CP is often under-recognised and under-treated. Treatment of SDB in children with CP might involve wearing a mask that delivers pressurised air to hold open a child's airway and make breathing easier when they are asleep. This is called 'respiratory support' which can be continuous pressure (CPAP) or non-invasive ventilation (NIV) which is pressure support with a back-up breathing rate. There is limited knowledge on the appropriate indications or timing to use them. Though respiratory support in children with CP is proven to help with breathing during sleep, its impact on quality of life, number of hospital admissions or frequency of chest infections is unknown. This study will look at the number of children with CP on respiratory support across the UK, as well as the number of children newly diagnosed with SDB and/or established on respiratory support over a 1-year period. This study will also explore socioeconomic factors that might influence access of sleep services and the perceived facilitators and barriers to successfully initiating respiratory support in children with CP.

Pulmonary Volume Changes During Synchonized Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation

Current evidence suggests that noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) is more effective than continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in preventing respiratory failure in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), both as initial and post-extubation support. NIPPV may be delivered in synchronized (sNIPPV) or non-synchronized (nsNIPPV) modes, with sNIPPV offering clear benefits by coordinating support with the infant's own breathing. Recent studies indicate sNIPPV is superior to nsNIPPV in preventing respiratory failure, though the intrapulmonary mechanisms behind this advantage remain unclear. To address this, the present study uses Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) to evaluate how lung volume changes during different types of breaths and ventilator inflations - spontaneous breaths, synchronized inflations, non-synchronized inflations, and backup inflations - in preterm infants receiving sNIPPV.

Experiences of Managing Sleep Disordered Breathing in Children With Cerebral Palsy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) refers to a non-progressive movement disorder, which occurs due to damage to the developing brain around the time of birth. Symptoms of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) include noisy breathing during sleep, increased day-time sleepiness and reduced energy levels. In the long term, SDB might have an effect on the brain and learning, as well as putting strain on the heart. Children with CP have a higher risk of sleep breathing problems compared to typically-developing children. The negative impact of sleep disturbance in children with CP, on their family members/carers' sleep and mental health cannot be understated. Early recognition and management of SDB is important for children with CP to give these children the best possible sleep quality, and to maximise learning potential. SDB in children with CP is often under-recognised and under-treated. Treatment of SDB in children with CP might involve wearing a mask that delivers pressurised air to hold open a child's airway and make breathing easier when they are asleep. This is called 'respiratory support' which can be continuous pressure (CPAP) or non-invasive ventilation (NIV) which is pressure support with a back-up breathing rate. There is limited knowledge on the appropriate indications or timing to use them. Though respiratory support in children with CP is proven to help with breathing during sleep, its impact on quality of life, number of hospital admissions or frequency of chest infections is unknown. This study will analyse the experiences of children with CP being managed for SDB, and the views of their carers/parents, and health professionals involved in their care. By undertaking semi-structured interviews, the investigators aim to explore the impact SDB and it's management has on children

Heterogeneity Index in Neonatologist-performed Lung Ultrasound in Neonates Receiving Respiratory Support - a Pilot Study

Lung ultrasound is an increasingly valuable diagnostic tool in neonatal intensive care due to its safety and accessability. This pilot study investigates whether a quantitative approach - the heterogeneity index, previously only used in fetal lung assessment - can enhance the diagnostic accuracy of neonatologist-performed lung ultrasound (NPLUS). The index will be calculated from raw ultrasound images of preterm and term neonates and compared with conventional lung ultrasound scores to evaluate its clinical relevance.

The ACCESSIT Study

The study is designed to characterize and monitor the structure, degree of activation and function of the different respiratory muscles during mechanical ventilation after spine trauma and spinal cord injury.

Effectiveness of Ventilation Modes in Intensive Care: A Comparison of Mandatory Minute Ventilation and Synchronized Intermittant Mandatory Ventilation Using Bioelectrical Impedance Tomography

Synchronized Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation (SIMV) is a commonly used ventilatory mode available in many modern ventilators, frequently applied in intensive care units for patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. SIMV delivers a preset tidal volume or pressure at a predetermined respiratory rate and synchronizes with the patient's spontaneous breathing efforts, thereby enhancing patient-ventilator interaction and contributing to rehabilitation. Mandatory Minute Ventilation (MMV) is a hybrid mode combining features of SIMV and Pressure Support Ventilation (PSV), guaranteeing a preset minute ventilation (tidal volume × respiratory rate). It synchronizes support based on the patient's spontaneous efforts and compensates in cases of insufficient minute ventilation. Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive, radiation-free imaging technique that enables real-time monitoring of pulmonary ventilation and perfusion by applying alternating electrical currents through surface electrodes. EIT has demonstrated strong correlation with findings from computed tomography, nitrogen washout, PET, and SPECT imaging modalities. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of MMV compared to SIMV in mechanically ventilated, hemodynamically stable adult patients (\>18 years old) in the intensive care unit. Patients must not require vasopressors, have a FiO₂ ≤ 60%, PEEP ≤ 8 cmH₂O, or receive neuromuscular blocking agents. Patients will be monitored under both SIMV and MMV modes, separated by a 12-hour interval. To minimize carry-over effects, a one-hour washout period will be implemented before data collection with EIT. Key parameters including PO₂/FiO₂ ratio, PaCO₂, and EtCO₂ will be assessed. The sequence of ventilatory mode application will follow a crossover study design.