Interest of Positive Expiratory Pressure (PEP) Delivery by EzPAP® After Cardiac Surgery in the Management of Postoperative Atelectasis (PEPKIN)

September 10, 2026 updated by: Nantes University Hospital

Evaluation of the Interest of Positive Expiratory Pressure (PEP) Delivery by EzPAP® Device Associated With Respiratory Physiotherapy in the Treatment of Postoperative Pulmonary Atelectasis in Patients After Cardiac Surgery

Pulmonary atelectasis is a frequent respiratory postoperative complication in cardiac surgery. Classically, the treatment of these patients is based on manual chest physiotherapy. Our objective is to evaluate the interest of association of positive end expiratory delivery sessions with the EzPAP® device. We perform a prospective monocentric, open label trial. Patients with atelectasis after scheduled cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass are included. They benefit from manual chest therapy and are randomised to receive or not positive end expiratory pressure sessions twice a day. The primary endpoint is the effect of this treatment on atelectasis radiological score after 2 days of treatment. The secondary endpoints are: oxygen saturation(SpO2)/inspired oxygen(FiO2) ratio, qualitative evaluation of ventilatory function, respiratory & cardiac rate, pain, inspiratory pressure (sniff test), patient satisfaction, duration of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

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Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
80

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • France
      • Saint-Herblain, France, 44805
        • Nantes Universitary Hospital

Participation Criteria

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Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients admitted in ICU after cardiac surgery by sternotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass presenting a pulmonary atelectasis after extubation, diagnosed by chest X-ray in postoperative period (day1 to day 2).
  • Patients over 18 years of age
  • Informed patient

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Cardiac arrhythmia
  • Hemodynamic instability (mean blood pressure < 65 mmHg or > 95 mmHg)
  • Respiratory rate > 35/min
  • Undrained pneumothorax
  • Predictable trachea intubation or emergent surgery
  • Patient oral refusal

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: KP group
PEP delivery by EzPAP® device with manual chest physiotherapy .
Other: KP group
Other Names:
  • Associated to manual chest physiotherapy, patients receive twice a day 4 periods of PEP delivery by EzPAP® device during 25 respiratory cycles.
Placebo Comparator: KM group
Manual chest physiotherapy only;
Other: KM group
Other Names:
  • Patients of the control group benefit only from manual chest physiotherapy twice a day

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Radiological atelectasis score
Time Frame: Day 2 post-inclusion
This score was first described by Pasquina P et al in 2004
Day 2 post-inclusion

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Radiological atelectasis score
Time Frame: Days 1 and 3 post-inclusion
This score was first described by Pasquina P et al in 2004
Days 1 and 3 post-inclusion
SpO2/FiO2 ratio
Time Frame: Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
This ratio is measured before and after session
Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
Cardiac and respiratory rate
Time Frame: Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
Measurement performed at the same time as SPO2 (patients are monitored)
Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
Qualitative evaluation of ventilatory function (nasal flaring, superficial tachypnea, use of accessory muscle, paradoxical abdominal respiration, cough difficulty) before and after session
Time Frame: Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
This respiratory function assessment is performed in a qualitative way
Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
Dyspnea evaluation
Time Frame: Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
Dyspnea is measured with a visual analogue scale before and after session
Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
Pain evaluation
Time Frame: Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
Pain is measured with a visual analogue scale before and after session
Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
Vesicular murmur intensity
Time Frame: Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
Vesicular murmur absent = 0, reduce = 1, present and normal = 2 Intensity is measured with an electronic stethoscope before and after session
Days 1, 2 and 3 post inclusion
Inspiratory pressure measurement
Time Frame: Days 2 and 3 post inclusion
This measurement (so called sniff test) is assessed with MicroRPM device before and after session
Days 2 and 3 post inclusion
Assessment of patient satisfaction and tolerance of EzPAP device
Time Frame: Day 3 post inclusion
A questionnaire of 10 answer with semi-quantitative scale
Day 3 post inclusion

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Nantes University Hospital

Publications and helpful links

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General Publications

Study record dates

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Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 1, 2014

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 1, 2016

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 7, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 7, 2014

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 10, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 14, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 10, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • RC14_0033

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