Can a chest heart rhythm monitor help predict when ICU patients on a ventilator can breathe without the tube?

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This observational pilot study follows adults who recently had surgery and are in the surgical ICU while they are on mechanical ventilation. Researchers will place chest patches to record heart rhythm for five minutes at four time points: after ICU admission, before a spontaneous breathing trial, during the trial, and right after the tube is removed. The goal is to see if heart rate variability patterns, reflecting autonomic function, can indicate likelihood of successful extubation and how these patterns change during weaning. Data will be collected as part of standard ICU care with readings kept separate from clinical decision-making. The study aims to identify potential bedside markers that could help time weaning to reduce complications.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18 years or older
* Admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery
* Currently on a breathing machine (mechanical ventilation) through a tube in the airway
* Receiving dexmedetomidine as the main sedative medication, with a stable, predefined level of sedation
* Participant or their legal representative agrees to take part in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

* Permanent irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter)
* Complete heart block or a heart rhythm that is fully controlled by a pacemaker
* Already has a tracheostomy (a breathing tube placed through the neck)
* A decision has already been made at ICU admission to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment
* Deeply sedated without receiving any sedative medication, suggesting the low alertness may be due to a brain-related problem rather than medication

Where it's running

• Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center
  Seoul, South Korea Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Saeyeon Kim, M.D., Ph.D. — SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center
• Study coordinator: Sangbae Park, M.S.N.
• Email: parkbreeze@gmail.com
• Phone: 82-1577-0075

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.