Ongoing ICU Clinical Trials

Clinical Trials

Our ICU is involved in research and clinical trials to improve care for critically ill patients, including studies on sepsis and shock, genetics, ventilation support, and new treatments. We are also exploring artificial intelligence (AI) to support clinical decision-making and improve patient outcomes.

Ongoing Trials:

1. ESSCAPE 

The ESsCAPE Trial is a research study looking at a new treatment called trimodulin (BT588) for adults with severe pneumonia who are very unwell in hospital and need a breathing machine (ventilator). 

Researchers want to find out if trimodulin, when added to standard hospital treatment, can help patients recover better and improve survival. 

The study is: 

• Randomized – participants are assigned by chance to receive either trimodulin or placebo  
• Double-blind – neither the doctors nor participants know which treatment is given  
• Placebo-controlled – some participants receive a placebo (inactive treatment) alongside standard care  
• Taking place in hospitals in several countries  

All participants continue to receive the usual treatments for severe pneumonia, including antibiotics and intensive care support. 

Who can participate  

Adults may be eligible to take part if they: 

• Are 18 years of age or older  
• Are hospitalized with severe community-acquired pneumonia  
• Require support from a ventilator to help with breathing  

The study team will assess each patient’s medical condition to determine whether participation is suitable and safe. 

The study team will review each person’s medical condition carefully before enrollment. Participation in the study is voluntary, and all participants continue to receive standard medical care throughout the study. 

• Status: Recruiting 

2. GENOMICC 

GenOMICC Ireland is an international research study exploring why some people become critically ill from infections or severe injuries while others recover more easily. Researchers are studying how genetic differences may affect the body’s immune response, severity of illness, and chances of recovery. 

The study involves collecting a small blood sample for DNA analysis and linking this with medical information to better understand severe illness and improve future treatments. 

The research is part of global collaborations including International Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Consortium and International Forum of Acute Care Trialists. 

Who can participate 

The study is open to: 

• Adults and children who are critically ill due to severe infections or major injuries.  
• Patients receiving intensive or high-level hospital care for conditions such as:  
• COVID-19  
• Influenza (flu)  
• RSV  
• Pneumonia  
• Sepsis  
• Severe burns  
• Pancreatitis  
• Other serious or emerging infections  

The study may also include: 

• Patients with severe inflammatory conditions linked to infections.  
• People who required advanced life support treatments such as ECMO.  
• Volunteers who were exposed to an infection but had mild or no symptoms, to act as comparison groups.  

There are no strict age limits, and participation is voluntary. Consent will be obtained from patients or, where necessary, from a family member or legal representative if the patient is too unwell to consent themselves. 

•  Status: Recruiting 

3. PEGASUS 

The PEGASUS trial is studying a new way to help patients with ARDS, a serious lung condition that makes breathing very difficult and often requires a ventilator in the ICU. 

Today, most ARDS patients are treated with similar ventilator settings. But doctors now believe that not all ARDS lungs are the same. Some lungs collapse mainly in certain areas, while others are damaged more evenly throughout the lungs. 

The PEGASUS study uses a simple bedside lung ultrasound to look at how a patient’s lungs are affected. Based on the ultrasound findings, doctors adjust the ventilator differently for each patient instead of using the same approach for everyone. 

The goal is to see whether this more personalized treatment can: 

• improve survival,  
• reduce time on the ventilator,  
• shorten ICU stays,  
• and lower complications.  

Because ultrasound is quick, safe, and can be done at the bedside, researchers hope this approach could make personalized ICU care easier and more widely available in the future. 

Who can participate  

The participants in the PEGASUS trial are adult ICU patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) who need a breathing machine (mechanical ventilation).  

In simple terms, these are very sick patients whose lungs cannot provide enough oxygen on their own. 

• Status (recruiting, ongoing, closed)  

4. PREVENTION 

The PREVENTION trial is a clinical study designed to improve the safety of emergency breathing tube placement (intubation) in critically ill patients in intensive care. During intubation, some patients experience a sudden and dangerous drop in blood pressure, which can lead to serious complications such as cardiovascular collapse or cardiac arrest. This study is testing whether starting a blood pressure–supporting medication called noradrenaline before the procedure can prevent these events. Patients are randomly assigned to either receive early noradrenaline or standard care without routine early vasopressor use. Researchers are mainly measuring whether this approach reduces severe low blood pressure and cardiac arrest around the time of intubation. The trial is currently ongoing, and results are not yet available. 

Who can participate 

The PREVENTION trial includes adult ICU or hospital patients (18+) who need emergency intubation. It focuses on people who are critically ill and at risk of low blood pressure during the procedure. Patients having planned (non-emergency) intubation are not included, and participation depends on the clinical team’s judgement in an urgent situation. 

1. Status (recruiting, ongoing, closed) 

5. REACT-SHOCK 

When people are critically ill with shock, their blood pressure can drop to dangerously low levels. In the intensive care unit (ICU), doctors use medications to raise blood pressure and keep vital organs like the brain and kidneys working properly. 

Right now, most patients are treated using the same general blood pressure target. However, this may not be ideal for everyone because people normally have different “usual” blood pressures when they are healthy. 

The REACT SHOCK study is a large international trial looking at whether it is better to set blood pressure targets based on each patient’s normal, pre-illness levels, rather than using a fixed number for everyone. The goal is to see if this personalised approach can improve survival and reduce complications such as kidney injury in patients with shock. 

The results of this study could help change how doctors manage blood pressure in critically ill patients in the future. 

Who can participate  

The study includes adults who are very sick and being treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) because they are in shock. This means their blood pressure is dangerously low and they need medications to help keep it up. 

People in the study are: 

• Adults (generally middle-aged and older)  
• In ICU with severe illness causing low blood pressure  
• Needing strong blood pressure-supporting drugs (vasopressors)  

These patients can have shock from different causes, such as severe infection, heart problems, or other serious medical conditions. Only patients who meet strict safety criteria are included. 

In simple terms, the study looks at very sick ICU patients whose blood pressure is too low to maintain normal body function without treatment. 

• Status (recruiting, ongoing, closed)