CompletedNot Applicable

Study of Impact of Not Measuring Residual Gastric Volume on Nosocomial Pneumonia Rates

France452 participantsStarted 2010-05

Plain-language summary

Early enteral feeding is a key component of the management of critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation. However, enteral feeding has been associated with serious complications such as aspiration followed by ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Many critically ill patients experience poor tolerance of early enteral nutrition because of impaired gastric motility, which leads to a sequence of delayed gastric emptying, increased gastric volume, gastroesophageal reflux, vomiting, aspiration, and VAP. Routine monitoring of residual gastric volume (RGV) to minimize the risk of aspiration is standard practice. RGV is assumed to reflect gastric content, with high RGVs indicating impaired gastric emptying that requires discontinuation of enteral feeding in order to prevent aspiration.However, RGV measurement is neither standardized nor validated. The cut-off value that may indicate an increased risk of aspiration and therefore a need for discontinuing enteral feeding has not been determined, and cut-offs used in studies have ranged from 150 to 500 ml. No data are available to support a correlation between RGV and the rates of adverse events. In experimental studies, RGV failed to correlate with vomiting, aspiration, or VAP. The investigators hypothesize that RGV monitoring fails to decrease the risk of VAP and leed to inappropriate interruptions in enteral feeding with a risk of underfeeding. To assess the effects of not measuring RGV on VAP and enteral feeding delivery, the investigators designed a prospective randomized controlled study.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Treatment with invasive mechanical ventilation * Feeding via nasogastric tube within 36 hours after the initiation of endotracheal mechanical ventilation. * Age over 18 years * Informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Mechanical ventilation started more than 36 hours before institution of enteral feeding * Patients turned in the prone position at inclusion * Abdominal surgery within 1 month before inclusion * History of esophageal or gastric surgery * EN via a gastrostomy or a jejunostomy * Bleeding from esophagus, stomach or bowel * Moribund patient * Age less than 18 years * Pregnancy. * No informed consent.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Compare Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Rates in Patients Receiving Early Enteral Feeding Without Residual Gastric Volume (RGV) Monitoring and in Patients With RGV Monitoring

Timeframe: until weaning of mechanical ventilation (average : 14 days)

Trial details

NCT IDNCT01137487

SponsorCentre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2011-06

Results submitted2026-01-05

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Ventilation-Associated Pneumonia trials