NCT06709456

Drainage Of Pleural Effusions in the Intensive Care Unit (DOPE-ICU) - Feasibility Trial

Drainage of Pleural Effusions in the Intensive Care Unit in Adults With Respiratory Failure: A Randomised Clinical Feasibility Trial of Performing Versus Withholding Pleural Drainage

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 88 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Olav Schjørring · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This trial evaluates the feasibility of ultrasound-guided pleural drainage versus no drainage in adult ICU patients with pleural effusions (fluid buildup around the lungs) and respiratory failure. Half of the patients will undergo drainage, while the other half will not unless their condition worsens to a prespecified degree. Outcomes include feasibility measures, clinical parameters, mortality, serious adverse events, and life support use over 90 days.

Detailed description

Pleural effusions are common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and are often treated with fluid drainage guided by ultrasonography. While this can improve oxygenantion levels, it is unclear whether it leads to better overall outcomes, and the procedure carries risks such as bleeding or lung collapse. There is limited evidence and no randomised trials supporting this procedure in ICU patients with respiratory failure. The DOPE-ICU feasibility trial will assess the feasibility of evaluating pleural drainage in such patients. Eligible ICU patients will be randomly assigned to either receive drainage or no drainage unless their condition worsens to a prespecified degree. Feasibility outcomes include the proportion of patients receiving drainage, protocol adherence, and proportion of patients with consent withdrawal for follow-up. Clinical outcomes include death rates, serious adverse events, and life support use, all within 90 days. Process outcomes include oxygenation, pH and arterial carbon dioxide tension at prespecified time points. The trial aims to determine whether a larger, more definitive trial is feasible.

Conditions

• Pleural Effusions
• Respiratory Failure

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Ultrasonography-guided pleural drainage	Ultrasonography-guided pleural drainage with insertion of a small-bore intrapleural catheter. Contralateral and repeated drainage conducted as specified during ICU stay until day 90.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-12-02
• Primary completion: 2025-10-01
• Completion: 2025-10-01
• First posted: 2024-11-29
• Last updated: 2025-04-11

Locations

6 sites across 1 country: Denmark