Salty air: a new way to help lungs sweep themselves clean?

NCT ID NCT07722377

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 23, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether breathing in a continuous fine mist of isotonic (0.9%) saline, combined with heated, humidified air, can improve the lungs' natural mucus-clearing mechanism. Ten healthy adults will have their mucus clearance measured by a special scan under three conditions: no treatment, heated humidification alone, and heated humidification plus saline mist. The goal is to see if this gentle approach can keep airways hydrated and help the lungs remove particles and germs more effectively.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
continuous nebulisation of isotonic (0.9%) saline solution combined with heated humidification via high-flow nasal cannula
What this could lead to
If it works, this simple combination could point toward a gentler way to help people with lung conditions clear mucus without the irritation of stronger salt solutions.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, early study in healthy volunteers, so results may not apply to people with lung disease. The effect of isotonic saline on mucus clearance is still unclear.

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

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 10 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Oct 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * \>18 years old * healthy spiromètry Exclusion Criteria: * \<18 years old * Pathologic spiromètry * Active smokers

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc

    Brussels, 1200, Belgium

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