Using lung dead space and inhaled nitric oxide to guide care for children with ARDS

Dead Space and Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

['FUNDING_R01'] · CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF LOS ANGELES · NIH-11195527

Seeing if measuring lung 'dead space' and using inhaled nitric oxide can help doctors treat children with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorCHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF LOS ANGELES (nih funded)
Locations1 site (LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11195527 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If your child joins, doctors will use routine bedside monitoring (capnography and blood gases) to measure lung 'dead space' (AVDSf) and track how it relates to outcomes. The team will compare dead space measurements with standard oxygenation tests and examine whether children with higher dead space respond differently to inhaled nitric oxide. The work builds on earlier single-center findings that AVDSf links more strongly to mortality than oxygenation alone and aims to find a simple, real-time marker to personalize therapy. The ultimate aim is to identify which children might benefit from targeted treatments during early pediatric ARDS.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Children diagnosed with pediatric ARDS who are receiving mechanical ventilation and have routine capnography and blood gas monitoring would be the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Children without ARDS, those not on ventilatory support, or patients whose illness is not driven by pulmonary perfusion problems may not benefit from this approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors identify which children with ARDS are most likely to benefit from inhaled nitric oxide or other targeted treatments, potentially lowering the risk of death.

How similar studies have performed: Single-center studies have shown that AVDSf is more strongly linked to mortality than oxygenation measures, but using dead space to guide inhaled nitric oxide treatment is a newer approach.

Where this research is happening

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.