Carbon monoxide as medicine? tiny trial tests inhaled gas for lung failure

NCT ID NCT04870125

Terminated Disease control Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This early-phase trial tested whether inhaling low doses of carbon monoxide could be safe for people with severe lung injury caused by sepsis. Only 5 participants were enrolled before the study was stopped early. The goal was to see if a personalized dosing formula could safely achieve target carbon monoxide levels in the blood.

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 way to treat severe lung inflammation in sepsis patients.
What could go wrong: This was a very early, small safety trial that was terminated early with only 5 participants. The results are too limited to draw any conclusions about effectiveness.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

acute respiratory distress syndrome adult acute respiratory distress syndrome infectious disease with sepsis pneumonia Sepsis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME SEPSIS

Contacts and locations

Locations

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
Duke University Hospital

Durham, North Carolina, 27710, United States
Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital

Brooklyn, New York, 11215, United States
Washington University

St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
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.