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1.7 million euros for a nationwide study led by the Medical Center – University of Freiburg / The study will investigate whether intensive care patients on ECMO benefit from being placed in the prone position / 20 centers are participating

A new nationwide clinical trial led by the Medical Center – University of Freiburg aims to improve the treatment of patients with particularly severe lung failure. The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding the project with a total of 1.7 million euros. Many patients with severe lung failure are fighting for their lives in the intensive care unit. In particularly severe cases, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be used—a procedure in which a machine outside the body temporarily takes over the gas exchange function of the lungs. Despite this complex therapy, only about half of the affected patients currently survive. 

The study, led by PD Dr. Alexander Supady,senior physician at the Interdisciplinary Department of Internal Intensive Care Medicine (IMIT) at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, investigates whether the survival chances of these critically ill patients can be improved if they are positioned on their stomachs early on after the start of ECMO therapy.

“Funding from the DFG enables us to systematically investigate a clinically highly relevant question at the highest scientific level,” says study leader Supady. “Our goal is to further improve the survival chances of these critically ill patients.”

Study Investigates Treatment for Severe Lung Failure

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening form of lung failure. It can occur, among other things, in the course of severe lung infections, such as COVID-19 or influenza, but also following severe injuries or major surgeries.

For ARDS patients without ECMO, prone positioning has been part of standard therapy for years and has been shown to reduce mortality. However, it is not yet clear whether this effect also holds during ECMO therapy. Some earlier analyses of treatment data suggest a benefit, while other studies show no additional benefit.

The planned multicenter study aims to systematically investigate this question. A total of approximately 260 patients are to be enrolled across 20 experienced ECMO centers throughout Germany. The study will be conducted in close collaboration with the Clinical Trials Unit (ZKS) at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg.

“In this study, we will collect important prospective data in collaboration with other experienced ECMO centers,” says Prof. Dr. Tobias Wengenmayer, Medical Director of Interdisciplinary Internal Intensive Care Medicine at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg. “Based on this, we aim to further improve the treatment of patients with particularly severe lung failure.”