Consensus Statements on Airway Clearance Interventions in Intubated Critically Ill Patients--Protocol for a Delphi Study

NCT06649734 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: ACCorDingly
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 35
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Intubated critically ill patients are susceptible to secretion accumulation because of compromised airway clearance. Various airway clearance interventions are employed to prevent complication(s) arising from mucus retention. Available guidelines are largely based on clinical expertise and low-level evidence, with no international consensus on their use. This Delphi study aims to collect global opinions on the usefulness of these various airway clearance interventions. Statements are grouped into two distinct parts: (1) Humidification and Nebulization, and (2) Suctioning and Secretion mobilization techniques.

Conditions

Critically Ill; Mucus Retention; Airway Clearance Impairment; Ventilation Therapy; Complications

Keywords

Airway Clearance Techniques

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Consensus use of airway clearance intervention Humidification

  Diverse group of panelist across the globe based on pre-specified qualification criteria and will conduct iterative Delphi rounds to generate consensus on Humidification in invasively ventilated Intensive Care patients.

  Time Frame: 3-6 months

• Consensus use of airway clearance intervention Inhaled Therapy

  Diverse group of panelist across the globe based on pre-specified qualification criteria and will conduct iterative Delphi rounds to generate consensus on Inhaled Therapy in invasively ventilated Intensive Care patients.

  Time Frame: 3-6 months

• Consensus use of airway clearance intervention Endotracheal Suctioning

  Diverse group of panelist across the globe based on pre-specified qualification criteria and will conduct iterative Delphi rounds to generate consensus on Endotracheal Suctioning in invasively ventilated Intensive Care patients.

  Time Frame: 3-6 months

• Consensus use of airway clearance intervention Mucus Mobilisation techniques

  Diverse group of panelist across the globe based on pre-specified qualification criteria and will conduct iterative Delphi rounds to generate consensus on Mucus Mobilisation techniques in invasively ventilated Intensive Care patients.

  Time Frame: 3-6 months

Study Arms (1)

Expert Panel

An international expert panel of at least 35 to 40 healthcare professionals representing ICU-nurses, respiratory therapists (or comparable version, based on local implementation), physiotherapists, ICU-physicians and pulmonologists with expertise in the field of invasively ventilated ICU-patients.

Other: Delphi Study

Interventions

Delphi Study OTHER

A Delphi study will be conducted with several rounds up to stable expert consensus or dissensus

Expert Panel

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthcare professionals representing ICU-nurses, respiratory therapists (or comparable version, based on local implementation), physiotherapists, ICU-physicians and pulmonologists with expertise in the field of invasively ventilated ICU patients.

You may qualify if:

• at least 5 years of clinical experience, with care for invasively ventilated patients (teaching and non-teaching); and
• participation in development of a guideline or authorship of at least one peer reviewed published paper in airway care for invasive ventilated patients; and
• not more than 70% of the panelists from each sex; and from each of high and low- and middle-income countries.

You may not qualify if:

• \- none
• Purposive sampling will be utilized to recruit panelists by reviewing recent publications in the field of airway care for invasive ventilated patients. Selection of panelists will be guided by predefined criteria, with deliberate efforts to ensure a balance in gender and geographical representation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust: collaborator
• Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA): lead

Study Sites (1)

Amsterdam University Hospital

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Critical Illness

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Frederique Paulus, prof. dr.

  Amsterdam UMC

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: professor dr.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 1, 2024
• First Posted: October 21, 2024
• Study Start: November 12, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 1, 2025
• Study Completion: September 1, 2025
• Last Updated: February 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Locations

NL (1)