Inhaling a small amount of hydrogen gas during lifesaving heart-lung support (ECPR) for people with congenital heart conditions
Multi-center, randomized, controlled trial of the feasibility and safety of inhaled hydrogen gas during ECPR
This project looks at whether giving low-dose inhaled hydrogen gas is safe and practical for adults with congenital heart problems who need extracorporeal CPR after a cardiac arrest.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184334 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are an adult with congenital heart disease who has a cardiac arrest and is treated with extracorporeal CPR (ECPR), this project may offer inhaled hydrogen gas as an additional rescue treatment. Patients at two hospitals will be randomly assigned to receive standard ECPR care with or without low-dose hydrogen gas (about 2.4% inhaled) for up to 72 hours while doctors monitor safety and feasibility. The team will record side effects, how easy it is to deliver the gas during emergency care, and early signals of brain and kidney protection using clinical measures and blood tests. Animal studies and a small safety study in healthy adults support the approach, but this is the first test in the ECPR patient population.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (age 21+) with congenital heart disease or related heart conditions who experience a prolonged cardiac arrest and are selected for extracorporeal CPR at a participating hospital.
Not a fit: People without congenital heart disease, those who do not receive ECPR, or those treated at hospitals not taking part in the trial would not be eligible and are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, inhaled hydrogen could lower organ and brain damage after cardiac arrest and improve survival or recovery for people needing ECPR.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical animal studies and a recent healthy-adult safety study suggest hydrogen can reduce ischemic injury and is safe at low doses, but it has not yet been tested in the ECPR cardiac arrest setting.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston Children's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kheir, John Nagi — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kheir, John Nagi
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 below.