Comparing diaphragm function measurement techniques in infants on respiratory support

PRospective Observational Study Comparing Electromyography of the Diaphragm With Ultrasound in Neonates and Children With REspiratory Support: the PROCEDURES Study

Observational Leiden University Medical Center · NCT05965830

This study is testing two ways to measure how well the diaphragm works in infants on breathing support to see which method is more reliable for checking their readiness to breathe on their own.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment50 (estimated)
Ages0 Months to 12 Months
SexAll
SponsorLeiden University Medical Center Academic / other
Locations1 site (Leiden)
Trial IDNCT05965830 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational study aims to evaluate the relationship between transcutaneous diaphragm electromyography (dEMG) and diaphragm ultrasound (dUS) in infants and children under 12 months receiving invasive respiratory support in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The study will involve simultaneous monitoring of diaphragm function using both techniques during extubation readiness tests. Clinically stable patients who meet specific inclusion criteria will be enrolled, and measurements will be taken to assess diaphragm muscle function. The goal is to establish a reliable method for evaluating diaphragm performance in this vulnerable population.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are infants and children aged 0-12 months who are admitted to the PICU and require invasive respiratory support.

Not a fit: Patients with unilateral diaphragm paresis, congenital malformations, or those deemed too vulnerable by their physician may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved assessment and management of respiratory insufficiency in neonates and children.

How similar studies have performed: While the use of dEMG and dUS is promising, this specific comparative approach in the PICU population is novel and has not been extensively tested in prior studies.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age between 0 - 12 months of age at the moment of inclusion and born ≥ 37 weeks gestational age.
* Specific patients cohort PICU:

pediatric patients with invasive respiratory support comply with the extubation readiness test (ERT) criteria

* No spontaneous breathing for the duration of the assessment
* Written parenteral informed consent (IC)
* A patient can only participate once

Exclusion Criteria:

* Unilateral diaphragm paresis diagnosed by ultrasound
* Congenital malformations not compatible with dEMG
* Need of cardiac pacing
* Congenital muscle atrophy disorder
* Clinical instability requiring frequent interventions by the nursing staff that may interfere with the measurements
* The attending physician considers the patient to be too vulnerable to participate in the study

Where this trial is running

Leiden

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions UltrasoundTranscutaneous EMGDiaphragmNeonate
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 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.