Hypercapnia and Gas Exchange Under the Avalanche Snow Model (HyperAvaSM) (HyperAvaSM)

Hypercapnia and Gas Exchange Under the Simulated Avalanche Snow

The aim of the study is to investigate respiratory parameters of a person in the simulated avalanche snow and consequent use of the measured data for development of a mathematical-physical model of breathing during increasing hypercapnia in the avalanche.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Accident Caused by Snow Avalanche
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow.; Device: air pocket

Detailed Description

The study is a part of a university research project aimed at studying physiological conditions and development of breathing parameters of a person breathing in the simulated avalanche snow. Presence of an air pocket and its size play an important role in survival of victims buried in the avalanche snow. Even small air pockets facilitate breathing, yet they do not provide a significant amount of fresh air for breathing. The investigators hypothesize that the size of the air pocket significantly affects the airflow resistance and work of breathing. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of the air pocket volume on gas exchange and work of breathing in subjects breathing into the simulated avalanche snow and to test, whether it is possible to breathe with zero air pocket.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 12
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Czech Republic
  • Prague, Czech Republic, 162 00
    • Charles University, Czech Republic

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 30 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants were volunteers from the Czech Army forces, studying at the Military Department of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University in Prague. All subjects were healthy and fit, classified as ASA I, all without a smoking history. The volunteers were highly motivated to participate in the experiment. The entrance examination, completed before the start of the study, included these tests: electrocardiography, blood pressure, spirometry, and assessment of the health conditions and family anamnesis by a physician with a specialty in anesthesia and critical care.

Exclusion Criteria:

• The exclusion criteria were Tiffeneau Index less than 0.70 and any cardiovascular or respiratory condition.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Allocation: NA
• Interventional Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Masking: DOUBLE

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: air pocket; Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow.	Other: Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow.; Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow with zero air pocket and one-liter air pocket.; Device: air pocket; Zero air pocket or one-liter air pocket in the snow.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The length of breathing	Time to termination of the breathing experiment due to the decision of the subject, or determined by high End-Tidal CO2 value or by the order by the clinician assessing the health status of the subjects.	Continuously within 30 minute interval from the beginning of the breathing experiment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Czech Technical University in Prague
• Collaborators: Charles University, Czech Republic

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Brugger H, Sumann G, Meister R, Adler-Kastner L, Mair P, Gunga HC, Schobersberger W, Falk M. Hypoxia and hypercapnia during respiration into an artificial air pocket in snow: implications for avalanche survival. Resuscitation. 2003 Jul;58(1):81-8. doi: 10.1016/s0300-9572(03)00113-8.
• Bellani G, Patroniti N, Weismann D, Galbiati L, Curto F, Foti G, Pesenti A. Measurement of pressure-time product during spontaneous assisted breathing by rapid interrupter technique. Anesthesiology. 2007 Mar;106(3):484-90. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200703000-00012.
• Grissom CK, Radwin MI, Harmston CH, Hirshberg EL, Crowley TJ. Respiration during snow burial using an artificial air pocket. JAMA. 2000 May 3;283(17):2266-71. doi: 10.1001/jama.283.17.2266.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): March 1, 2012
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): March 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 10, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 11, 2015
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): August 13, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): August 13, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 11, 2015
• Last Verified: August 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Hypercapnia
• Other Study ID Numbers: VentRes-2015-01-KR