Clinical Trials

Acute lung injury (ALI) is an example of a critical care syndrome with limited treatment options once the condition is fully established.Not surprisingly, many treatments targeting the mechanisms identified in preclinical studies have failed to improve patient outcomes.The most likely reason could be due to inadequate and delayed recognition of patients at risk and the subsequent development of the full blown syndrome.ALI/ARDS usually develops during the first hours of ICU admission, and often is the very reason for ICU admission. Clinical prediction models have been extensively used in the clinical practice to identify patients at high risks who may benefit from specific interventions. However, no such tool exists to predict the development of ALI in patients at risk. We have recently developed an ALI prediction model (Lung Injury Prediction Score:LIPS)which incorporates demographic, environmental and clinical characteristics at the time of, and before, hospital admission. If validated, this model will serve to find the population of patients at high risk of ALI in whom future prevention trials will be conducted. By determining not only patients at high risk but also the attributable burden of ALI/ARDS in contemporary cohorts of patients at risk, our findings will facilitate the prioritization of preventive strategies and future clinical trials.

Hypertonic Saline (HS) aerosols have proven efficacious mucolytics in patient with cystic fibrosis and are well tolerated in that population. Safety concerns in mechanically ventilated patients with ALI center primarily on HS's effects on lung water distribution (intra vs. extra alveolar) and on airway reactivity. For that reason we plan a small feasibility trial with narrowly focused physiologic endpoints, namely to measure the effects of a single 5ml dose of 7% Saline aerosol on blood gas tensions, hemodynamics and the static and dynamic properties of the relaxed respiratory system. This narrowly scoped study is to lay the foundation for a larger multicenter intervention trial.

ALI/ARDS involves extensive inflammation in the lungs that can lead to rapid respiratory failure. These conditions are most commonly caused by pneumonia, generalized infection, or severe trauma to the lungs, but can also be less commonly caused by smoke or salt water inhalation, drug overdose, or shock. For some people, ALI/ARDS resolves without treatment, but many severe cases result in hospitalization in the intensive care unit (ICU), where 30% to 40% of cases end in mortality. Current treatments for ALI/ARDS include assisted breathing with a ventilator, supportive care, and management of the underlying causes. Upon admission to the ICU, Rosuvastatin or placebo will be administered through an enteral feeding tube or administered orally following extubation when patients are able to safely take oral medications. The type and placement of the enteral feeding tube (nasogastric, nasoenteric, PEG, orogastric, oroenteric, etc.) and the ability to safely take oral medications will be determined by the patient's primary team. Study drug will be blinded with an identical appearing placebo. The first study drug dose (rosuvastatin or placebo) will be administered within 4 hours of randomization as a loading dose of 40 mg. Blood pressure, heart rate, ventilation settings, and various blood factors will be measured during treatment. Phone-based follow-up assessments will occur at Months 6 and 12 after ICU discharge and will include measurements of health-related quality of life; psychological, neurocognitive, and physical activity outcomes; healthcare utilization; and mortality.