Could poison gas heal lungs? small trial tests carbon monoxide for ARDS
NCT ID NCT03799874
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This phase II trial tested whether inhaling low doses of carbon monoxide (200 ppm for 90 minutes daily for 3 days) is safe and helpful for people with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a severe lung condition. Only 4 intubated adults participated, making this a very small study. The main goal was to check for side effects and measure changes in a blood marker of cell damage.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- inhaled carbon monoxide
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new treatment for ARDS, a severe lung condition with few options.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-phase trial with only 4 participants, so results are not reliable. Carbon monoxide is toxic at high levels, and safety is a major concern.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
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Duke Regional Hospital
Durham, North Carolina, 27704, United States
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Duke University Hospital
Durham, North Carolina, 27710, United States
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Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
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New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
Brooklyn, New York, 11215, United States
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Washington University
St Louis, Missouri, 63130, United States
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Weill Cornell Medical College
New York, New York, 10065, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Could simply sitting up ease breathing in severe lung failure?
- Could lung fluid proteins reveal a new way to track severe lung injury?
- Could a spirometer test guide breathing support in respiratory failure?
- Which ventilator setting saves more lungs? a Head-to-Head test
- Can a single antibody turn down the immune storm in ARDS?