Effect of Raised End-Tidal pCo2 on Choroidal Volume

January 7, 2026 updated by: Kanwal Nischal, University of Pittsburgh
This study is to investigate the relationship between arterial carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and vitreous pressure on the choroidal volume by integrated intraoperative OCT imaging under eye exams under anesthesia.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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

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.

Detailed Description

Children with normal eyes undergoing an exam under anesthesia or a non-intraocular eye procedure will have one eye examined after research consent is taken. Children have very elastic ocular tissues. When they are having an intraocular procedure positive vitreous pressure can cause the iris to prolapse out of the eye and this can cause intraoperative and postoperative complications. The causes of the positive vitreous pressure have been speculated to be due to an increase in choroidal volume. The Choroid is a layer of blood vessels sitting between the sclera and the retina. Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) is an imaging tool that allows an optical section of the retina, choroid and sclera to be examined. The subfoveal choroidal thickness has been shown to be a consistent area that can be measured with reliability that the anatomical site of measurement is consistent. By varying the end tidal CO2 the thickness of the choroid will be measured and at the same time the intraocular pressure taken using a pneumatonometer. The OCT is integrated into the operating microscope and is used to take a scan of the fovea. Three scans will be taken after 5minutes of the particular end tidal pCO2. In order to ensure the choroidal thickness is not being influenced by the axial length of the eye, the axial length will be measured using an ultrasound probe at the beginning of the measurements just once. In order to ensure that the position of the head and body is not influencing the choroidal thickness a spirit level will be used to ensure a flat operating bed at the beginning of the measurements.

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 (Estimated)

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.
20

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.
  • Name: Amy Monroe, MPH, MBA
  • Phone Number: 6382 412-623-6382
  • Email: monroeal@upmc.edu

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15224
        • Recruiting
        • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Kanwal Nischal, MD,FRCOphth
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Lieu Tran, MD

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

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • any child undergoing an eye exam under anesthesia for an ophthalmologic reason.
  • children between the ages newborn to 8 years of age.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • children who are not having an eye exam under anesthesia.
  • children with a known medical diagnosis that affect the eye to be studied
  • * children over the age of 8 years of age.
  • * children with altered cerebral autoregulation, increased intracranial pressure, pulmonary hypertension, or any other condition deemed appropriate by the anesthesiologist.
  • children in whom a laryngeal mask airway will not be used

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: Basic Science
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

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: Observational Group
Manipulation of end tidal carbon dioxide in subjects
Other: Ventilation manipulation
Effects of ventilation manipulation to achieve desired levels of end tidal carbon dioxide

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
Intraocular Pressure (IOP) (mmHg)
Time Frame: After induction of anesthesia end tidal CO2 will be manipulated to 40mmHg, then 30mmHg and then 50mmHg. The end tidal CO2 levels will be held for at least 5 minutes after each ventilation manipulation and at the end of this 5 minute period IOP measured
Measurement of intraocular pressure after maintenance of end tidal pCO2 for 5 minutes at three end tidal pCO2 values : 40mmHg, then 30mmHg and then 50mmHg
After induction of anesthesia end tidal CO2 will be manipulated to 40mmHg, then 30mmHg and then 50mmHg. The end tidal CO2 levels will be held for at least 5 minutes after each ventilation manipulation and at the end of this 5 minute period IOP measured

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
Choroidal thickness ( microns)
Time Frame: After induction of anesthesia end tidal CO2 will be manipulated to 40mmHg, then 30mmHg and then 50mmHg. The end tidal CO2 levels will be held for at least 5 minutes after each ventilation manipulation;at the end of 5 minute period choroid images taken
After 5 minutes of maintenance of end tidal pCO2 at 40mmHg, then 30mmHg and then 50mmHg, ocular coherence tomography (OCT) will be used to capture the subfoveal choroid. The images of the choroid will be provided to blinded individuals who will measure their thickness using the integrated scale on the OCT image.
After induction of anesthesia end tidal CO2 will be manipulated to 40mmHg, then 30mmHg and then 50mmHg. The end tidal CO2 levels will be held for at least 5 minutes after each ventilation manipulation;at the end of 5 minute period choroid images taken

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.
University of Pittsburgh

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Amy Monroe, MPH, MBA, University of Pittsburgh
  • Principal Investigator: Kanwal Nischal, MD,FRCOphth, University of Pittsburgh

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.
February 27, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
December 30, 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).
January 24, 2024

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.
February 16, 2024

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.
February 23, 2024

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.
January 9, 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.
January 7, 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.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • STUDY21100163

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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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