The Effects of Endotracheal Suctioning on Pain and Serum Markers

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Intensive Care Unit ICU, Intubation, Critical Illness, Mechanical Ventilation, Pain Measurement, Pain, Procedural, Oxidative Stress, Hypoxia, Biomarkers / Blood, Adult, Uric Acid, Sepsis, COVID, Influenza, Pneumonia

In brief

The goal of this experimental study is to understand if endotracheal tube (ETT) suctioning increases pain and causes stress on the body in intubated adult ICU patients. These patients are already on ventilators, which means they need suctioning to keep their airways clear, but this procedure may be uncomfortable and cause stress. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Does ETT suctioning raise pain levels as measured by the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT)? Does ETT suctioning increase certain chemicals in the blood (hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid) that show stress and lack of oxygen in the body? Researchers will compare patients who have ETT suctioning (intervention group) with those who do not have suctioning during the study period (control group) to see if there are differences in pain and blood markers of stress. Participants will: Have pain measured before and after suctioning using the CPOT. Have blood samples taken from an existing line at three time points: 5 minutes before, 5 minutes after, and 30 minutes after suctioning. Provide demographic information (like age, gender, and diagnosis) from medical records. This research will help improve how pain is managed for ICU patients who cannot speak for themselves, potentially leading to better pain relief methods in the future.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT06692400
Run by: Loma Linda University
People needed: 110
Starts: 2025-01-30
Expected to finish: 2026-12-01
Last updated by the study team: 2026-07-10

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Adults (aged 18 years and older)
Current diagnosis of flu, pneumonia, COVID, or sepsis
Intubated and receiving mechanical ventilation.
Have arterial lines placed
Require endotracheal suctioning as part of their care

You may not qualify if…

Patients receiving neuromuscular blocking agents
Contraindications for blood draws (hemoglobin levels below 8.0 g/dL; Jehovah's Witness)

Where it is running

Loma Linda University Medical Center Troesh Medical Campus — Loma Linda, California, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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