Mechanical Ventilator Care

EARLY-VENT is a multicenter, open-label, three-period cluster-randomized crossover trial designed to evaluate whether early transition from controlled to assisted ventilation improves outcomes in critically ill patients. The study will enroll approximately 1,600 adult patients across 10 ICUs who are expected to require mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours and meet specific stability criteria (e.g., hemodynamically stable, light sedation). Participating centers will alternate between an experimental strategy, where patients transition to an assisted mode (preferably Pressure Support Ventilation) within 6 hours of eligibility, and a control strategy based on standard care practices. The primary endpoint is the rate of successful extubation at day 28, aiming to demonstrate that transition from controlled to assisted ventilation can reduce ventilation duration and improve prognosis compared to delayed transition.

Adequate humidification is essential for intubated patients because dry medical gases can cause thick secretions and dangerous endotracheal tube blockages. A clear correlation exists between exhaled and inhaled humidity delivered by heat and moisture exchanger. The objective of this study is to measure the temperature of exhaled gases in intubated patients in order to accurately calculate the absolute humidity during the expiratory phase. These data will allow for a more accurate reproduction of real clinical conditions during bench testing and will improve the assessment of heat and moisture exchanger performance device evaluation.