Could a simple change in position improve oxygen levels?
NCT ID NCT01705119
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at whether moving from lying flat to sitting upright improves oxygen levels in patients with respiratory failure who are on breathing machines. Researchers will measure oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood. The study involves 16 adults and aims to understand basic body responses, not to test a new drug or treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that simply changing a patient's position improves oxygen levels, potentially leading to better care practices for respiratory failure.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small study (16 participants) and only measures short-term effects. It may not apply to all patients or lead to any lasting treatment changes.
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
-
16 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Oct 2012
- 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
-
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: * Patients aged ≥18 years who are mechanically ventilated * An oxygen saturation of 88-94% or an arterial line Exclusion Criteria: * Mean arterial pressure \<65 * Heart rate \< 40 or \> 130 beats/min * Respiratory rate \< 5 or \> 40 breaths/min * Pulse oximetry \< 88% * Evidence of elevated intracranial pressure * Active gastrointestinal blood loss * Active myocardial ischemia * Pregnancy * Actively undergoing a procedure * Patient agitation requiring increased sedative administration in the last 30 mins * Insecure airway (device) * The patient was not ambulatory prior to hospitalization * The patient's body habitus and/or mental status make it unsafe to stand up * The patient has been placed on strict bed rest by the treating physicians
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Respiratory failure are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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
-
University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can tilting a Patient's body toward the infection help them breathe free sooner?
- Can a machine breathe better than a nurse? automated oxygen system tested in COPD
- Can a battery keep ventilators running during ambulance transport?
- Can a simple ultrasound combo predict breathing failure before it happens?
- Could stepping down breathing support sooner save more lives?
- Can new home monitors keep tabs on breathing support without a clinic visit?