Can a common anesthetic gas help ARDS patients breathe easier?
NCT ID NCT02166853
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether inhaling sevoflurane, a gas usually used for anesthesia, for the first 48 hours could improve oxygen levels and reduce inflammation in 50 adults with moderate to severe ARDS. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either sevoflurane or a standard sedative (midazolam). The main goal was to see if sevoflurane could improve gas exchange in the lungs.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- sevoflurane
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new sedation method that also helps ARDS patients breathe better and reduces lung inflammation.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase study with only 50 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The drug is already used for sedation, but its specific benefit for ARDS is unproven.
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
-
Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
-
50 people
The number who actually took part.
- Start date
-
Apr 2014
- Finished
-
Mar 2016
- 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 to 99 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with criteria for moderate to severe ARDS since less than 24 hours ( * Informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Suspected or proven intracranial hypertension * Midazolam, sevoflurane or cisatracurium allergy * Medical history of malignant hyperthermia * Severe liver failure * Chemotherapy treatment in the last month * Severe neutropenia (\< 0.5 G/l)
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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
-
CHU Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand, 63003, France
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