Can a Head-Down tilt or ancient herbs save lives in severe pneumonia?
NCT ID NCT07396701
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This large trial in China will test two additional treatments for people with severe pneumonia who need a breathing machine. One group will have their bed tilted head-down for at least 12 hours a day. Another group will receive a traditional Chinese herbal formula. The goal is to see if either approach lowers the chance of death within 28 days, compared to standard care alone. About 1,500 ICU patients will take part.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Trendelenburg position (head-down tilt) and a traditional Chinese herbal formulation
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could provide simple, low-cost additions to standard care that reduce deaths from severe pneumonia.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage trial with no blinding, so results may be influenced by expectations. The herbal formula is complex and may cause side effects or interact with other drugs.
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
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Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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About 1,500 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Feb 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: Adult patients (≥18 years) admitted to the ICU, diagnosed with severe pneumonia per IDSA/ATS criteria (requiring invasive mechanical ventilation or meeting other major/minor criteria), under invasive mechanical ventilation and sedation (Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale ≤ -1). Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy, terminal illness * Significant pulmonary fibrosis or lung cancer * Known/suspected intracranial hypertension * Increased intraocular pressure or recent eye surgery * Spinal injury * Severe refractory hemodynamic instability.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.