Evaluation of Gas Propagation in Snow During Breathing of Subjects Under Simulated Avalanche Snow (GasProp)

The study is aimed at investigation of respiratory gases propagation in snow. The study involves volunteers breathing into the snow whereas concentrations of gases are measured at various positions in the snow.

Study Overview

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Conditions: Accident Caused by Snow Avalanche
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: extreme hypercapnia induced by ventilation insufficiency

Detailed Description

The study is aimed at investigation of respiratory gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) propagation in the simulated avalanche snow. The study involves volunteers breathing into the snow whereas concentrations of gases are measured at various positions in the snow. A special apparatus was created for sampling and measurement of gas concentrations and to assure stable geometry of the experiment required for data evaluation.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Czechia
  • Kladno, Czechia, 272 01
    • Czech Technical University, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy and fit volunteers, classified as The American Society of Anesthesiologists class I
• without a smoking history

Exclusion Criteria:

• Tiffeneau Index less than 0.70
• any cardiovascular or respiratory condition

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Breathing in the snow; Breathing in the snow using a specially designed apparatus and measuring the respiratory gases distribution in snow.	Other: extreme hypercapnia induced by ventilation insufficiency; Re-breathing of gas by breathing into the simulated avalanche 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 tested subject, or determined by high end-tidal carbon dioxide value or by the order by the clinician assessing the health status of the subjects.	Continuously within up to 20 minute interval from the beginning of the breathing experiment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Czech Technical University in Prague
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Karel Roubik, prof., Czech Technical University in Prague, Fac. of Biomedical Engineering

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Roubik K, Sieger L, Sykora K. Work of Breathing into Snow in the Presence versus Absence of an Artificial Air Pocket Affects Hypoxia and Hypercapnia of a Victim Covered with Avalanche Snow: A Randomized Double Blind Crossover Study. PLoS One. 2015 Dec 14;10(12):e0144332. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144332. eCollection 2015.
• Roubik K, Sykora K, Sieger L, Ort V, Horakova L, Walzel S. Perlite is a suitable model material for experiments investigating breathing in high density snow. Sci Rep. 2022 Feb 8;12(1):2070. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-06015-y.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 7, 2022
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): May 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Anticipated): May 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 21, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 1, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): March 2, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 2, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 1, 2022
• Last Verified: February 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: diffusion; hypercapnia; snow; avalanche
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2022-Bradler

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