Electromuscular Stimulation Therapy as a Prophylactic Method to Reduce Thromboses Related to PICC Catheters (ECOEMS)

June 8, 2026 updated by: Gerez Acevedo, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona Dr. Josep Trueta

Electromuscular Stimulation Therapy as a Prophylactic Method to Reduce Thromboses Related to PICC Catheters in Patients Hospitalized in Critical Care Units. Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: The placement of a peripheral inserted central catheter (PICC) is a common practice in the hospital setting. However, despite all the advances reported, venous devices are not free of complications and catheter-related thrombosis (CRT), being one of the most prevalent. Electro muscular stimulation therapy can be a measure for the prevention of CRT. Objective: To know the efficacy of electro muscular stimulation therapy in patients hospitalized in critical care units to prevent venous thrombosis related to PICC catheters. Methodology: A multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) will be carried out at the Dr. Josep Trueta University Hospital in Girona, Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, Althaia Foundation in Manresa. With a total of 68 patients with PICC catheters in critical care units, they will be randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=34) to whom, in addition to the usual protocolized care related to the vascular catheter, will be applied e Eco-EMS protocol, or the control group (n=34) to which only the usual protocolized care related to the vascular catheter was applied. Intervention: It will consist of the application of electrostimulation therapy five days a week, two daily sessions of 20 minutes in the intervention group. Both groups underwent five ultrasound examinations after the placement of the PICC to determine the appearance of CRT. Expected results: It is expected to observe that the application of the Eco-EMS protocol reduces thrombosis in the patients of the intervention group, compared to those of the control group.

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.
120

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 Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Spain
    • Espanya
      • Girona, Espanya, Spain, 17007
        • Hospital Dr. Josep Trueta de Girona

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients admitted to the critical unit with a PICC whose insertion is done by the EIAV of the same hospital.
  • Patients between 18 and 80 years of age.
  • Treatments related to the device protocolized by the same hospital as the EIAV implanter.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who do not sign informed consent.
  • Patients with pacemakers and/or implantable automatic defibrillators.
  • Patients with epilepsy.
  • Removal of the device within the first 15 days after insertion.
  • Hospital discharge, transfer to another hospital or death lethalis during the duration of the study.
  • Displacement of the tip of the catheter outside the lower ⅓ of the superior vein cava during the study period.
  • Presence of lesions in the place where the electrodes must be placed to perform the electrostimulation therapy.
  • Non-compliance with catheter monitoring: Of the five ultrasound controls protocolized in the study, 80% were not complied with.

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: Prevention
  • 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.
No Intervention: Control group
Experimental: Intervention group
Device: Protocol ECOEMS
Use electo estimulation therapy. The 4-channel stimulator will be used. The 6 electrodes will be located on the biceps, triceps and deltoids. Two daily sessions will be distributed, five days a week, lasting 20 minutes, the vascular program designed by the electro stimulation team itself will be applied.

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
To know the effectiveness of electromuscular stimulation therapy in patients hospitalized in critical care units to prevent venous thrombosis related to PICC catheters.
Time Frame: 15 days
Ultrasound will be used to measure whether or not there is the appearance of thrombosis related to the PICC catheter.
15 days

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.
Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona Dr. Josep Trueta

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Althaia Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa
Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM)

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

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.
December 1, 2023

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.
December 1, 2023

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.
June 1, 2026

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).
November 6, 2023

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.
November 13, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

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.
November 18, 2023

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.
June 10, 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.
June 8, 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.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • 2023.151

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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