Try the PPAL powered bedside commode to make toileting transfers safer
Official title: Development and Evaluation of PPAL Bedside Commode for Safe Independent Toileting Transfers
Run by University of Pittsburgh · NCT07221552 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This six-week at-home test will try a powered, height-adjustable PPAL bedside commode to see if it helps adults who have trouble transferring to a toilet with less physical help from caregivers.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 16 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Pittsburgh Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 20, 2026 |
| Main results expected | November 20, 2026 |
| Study ends | November 20, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | November 5, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07221552 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults (age ≥18) who weigh 300 pounds or less, have difficulty getting on or off a toilet or commode, can sit independently for at least two minutes, live in a home or assisted residence, and have an available caregiver.
✕Probably not a fit
People who use ventilators, have recent acute medical events or stage 2+ pressure ulcers within three months, have planned surgeries in the next three months, cannot sit independently, or exceed the device size or weight limits are unlikely to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The study provides a PPAL powered, height-adjustable commode with integrated transfer boards to participants for a six-week at-home trial and tracks its real-world use. An initial home visit screens the environment, documents current transfer methods, and confirms that both the participant and caregiver are appropriate candidates. During the trial the research team monitors device use, caregiver involvement, safety events, and user-reported ease of transfers. Data collection emphasizes functional transfer outcomes, caregiver burden, and any adverse events related to transfers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the PPAL could enable greater independence for toileting, reduce caregiver effort, and lower the risk of transfer-related injuries.
How similar studies have gone: There is limited published evidence for powered bedside commodes with integrated transfer boards, making this application relatively novel rather than widely proven.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Toileter Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 years or above * Weighs 300 pounds or less and is able to fit within the dimensions of the PPAL - Has difficulty with getting on or off a toilet or commode at any point in a typical 24-hour period * Resides in either a home, independent living residence, assisted living or extended care residence * Able to maintain sitting balance independently (without human assistance) for at least 2 minutes * If sitting for longer than 2 minutes (with or without assistance), does not get dizzy or lightheaded * Residence is able to accommodate the PPAL in the Bedroom or designated space. Toileter Exclusion Criteria: * Ventilator users * Free of acute medical events within the last 3 months * Had Stage 2 or greater pressure ulcer within the last 3 months * Upcoming planned medical procedures or surgeries in the next 3 months. Caregiver Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 years or above * Formal/paid or informal/unpaid caregiver for the patient participant (toileter) who provides toileting assistance at least 3 days per week Caregiver Exclusion Criteria: -Physical limitations that prevent caregiver from manually assisting with PPAL transfer or from maneuvering the PPAL around the end-user's residence
Where it's running
-
University of Pittsburgh: Human Engineering Research Laboratories
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Alicia M Koontz, PhD — University of Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Nikitha Deepak, MS
- Email: NID51@pitt.edu
- Phone: 412-822-3669
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Community-based study on cognitive impairment in older adults in Hainan
This study is looking at older adults in Hainan to see what factors affect their thinking skills and to test new tools that might help improve their brain health and physical abilities.
-
Imaging Mitochondrial Complex-I and Brain Metabolism in Alcohol Use Disorder
This study tests whether PET imaging with [18F]BCPP-EF and [18F]FDG can reveal differences in brain energy use between adults with alcohol use disorder and healthy controls, and whether these measures relate to relapse risk.
-
Imaging Brain Mitochondrial Complex-I in Cocaine Use Disorder
This study uses a PET scan with [F-18]BCPP-EF to see how mitochondrial Complex-I activity in the brain differs between people with cocaine use disorder and healthy controls.
-
Managing nighttime voiding in older women with sleep strategies
This study tests whether brief behavioral sleep therapy and mindfulness, alone or together, reduce how often older women wake at night to urinate and how much urine they produce at night.
-
Personalized pain relief for knee OA using central nervous system-based duloxetine
This study tests whether duloxetine can improve walking and daily activity in people with knee osteoarthritis by comparing it to a placebo.
-
Which antibiotic works best for kids with sinus infections?
This study tests whether amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, or a placebo help children with acute sinusitis feel better faster.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.