Extra oxygen to help people with pulmonary embolism
Official title: Supplemental Oxygen for Pulmonary Embolism (SO-PE) - A Mechanistic Clinical Trial
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11159758 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if giving extra oxygen lowers pressure in the lungs and eases right‑heart strain for people with acute pulmonary embolism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $594,236 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL168040-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159758 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who present to the emergency department with acute pulmonary embolism and evidence of right ventricular dysfunction or elevated pulmonary artery pressure are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with small pulmonary emboli without right heart strain, those already on maximal oxygen support, or those with contraindications to supplemental oxygen may not receive benefit.
What this research studies
If you come to the MGH Emergency Department with an acute pulmonary embolism and signs of right‑sided heart strain, researchers may give you supplemental oxygen and perform bedside heart ultrasound. They will take blood samples for detailed metabolomic testing and measure lung artery pressure and right heart function. The team will also run parallel experiments in a validated pig model at Aarhus University to compare mechanisms and better understand how oxygen produces its effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could show that a simple, widely available treatment (oxygen) rapidly lowers lung artery pressure and helps protect the heart during acute PE.
How similar studies have gone: In a validated porcine model, supplemental oxygen reduced pulmonary artery pressure by about 50%, but this mechanism and effect have not yet been shown in human patients.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kabrhel, Christopher — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kabrhel, Christopher
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Supplemental Oxygen for Pulmonary Embolism: A Mechanistic Look at How Oxygen Helps the Heart and Lungs
This NIH grant tests how giving extra oxygen affects lung pressure and heart strain in people with acute pulmonary embolism, with supportive animal studies to understand the biology.
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Pulmonary embolism: catheter-directed clot removal for better outcomes
This trial tests whether delivering clot-dissolving medication directly to the lungs via a catheter helps people with submassive pulmonary embolism feel better and function better, with fewer bleeding risks.
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This study tests whether removing clot with a targeted catheter approach helps people with submassive pulmonary embolism feel better and move more easily, compared with not using catheter therapy.
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Molecular and imaging study of blood clots and inflammation in pulmonary embolism
A research project uses a mouse model to understand how blood clots and inflammatory cells affect pulmonary embolism and its outcomes, with the goal of better diagnosis and treatment for people with PE.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.