Exploring Novel Biomarkers of ICU-AW in Mechanically Ventilated Children at the Molecular Level

Enrolling by invitation

Conditions studied: ICU Acquired Weakness

In brief

Acquired weakness (AW) is a common complication among patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It is a systemic muscle weakness and dysfunction associated with critical illness, often related to prolonged bed rest, mechanical ventilation, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). The primary clinical manifestations include weakness in limb and respiratory muscles, particularly diminished strength in distal muscle groups. As a result, the weaning process from mechanical ventilation becomes more challenging, leading to prolonged ICU stays, increased mortality, and a higher risk of long-term functional disability. The significance of AW lies not only in its substantial impediment to short-term recovery but also in its role as a core component of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS), profoundly affecting patients' long-term outcomes. Mechanical ventilation is a vital life-support technology for critically ill children in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). However, complications associated with mechanical ventilation have garnered increasing attention, particularly Acquired Weakness in mechanically ventilated children. With improving survival rates in the PICU, a growing number of pediatric critical illness survivors are at risk of developing AW. Despite rapid advancements in pediatric critical care medicine in China, there is currently a lack of an early warning system for AW in children receiving mechanical ventilation, resulting in significantly delayed clinical interventions. This project aims to identify novel biomarkers for pediatric ICU-AW and develop an early warning model. It holds promise for transitioning from the traditional post-symptomatic diagnostic approach to subclinical prediction of AW in children, which is of great clinical value for reducing disability rates and optimizing critical care rehabilitation strategies.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07150650

Run by

Children's Hospital of Fudan University

People needed

500

Starts

2026-03-01

Expected to finish

2028-09-30

Last updated by the study team

2026-03-19

Who can join

Age: 0 and older, up to 18. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Age between 28 days and 18 years;
• Patients continuously admitted to the PICU during the study period and subjected to invasive mechanical ventilation.

You may not qualify if…

• Mechanical ventilation duration < 72 hours;
• Presence of primary central or neuromuscular diseases that significantly affect central or peripheral respiratory failure, including: traumatic brain injury, cerebrovascular disease history (e.g., cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction), intracranial tumors, central nervous system infections, spinal cord injury, Guillain-Barré syndrome, porphyria, paraneoplastic neuropathy, etc.;
• Conditions requiring immobilization such as limb joint surgery or fractures.

Where it is running

• Children' hospital of Fudan university — Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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