Mitochondrial Assessment in Critical Ill Patients in Intensive Care

Launched by UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SOUTHAMPTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST · Jun 4, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is focused on understanding how well mitochondria, the energy-producing parts of our cells, are working in critically ill patients who are on ventilators in the intensive care unit (ICU). When someone is very sick, their mitochondria may not function properly, which can lead to serious complications like organ failure and weakness. The study aims to evaluate mitochondrial function using three different methods: a breath test after consuming a special amino acid, blood tests, and muscle samples. This research could help identify the best ways to assess mitochondrial health and find out how to improve it through nutrition or other therapies.

To participate, patients must be adults aged 18 or older, currently on a ventilator, and considered critically ill by their doctors. They need to be recruited within 48 hours of being intubated and expected to remain on a ventilator for over 72 hours. Participants will undergo non-invasive tests and may have a muscle biopsy, which involves taking a small sample of muscle tissue. This trial is important because it could lead to better ways to monitor and treat mitochondrial problems in critically ill patients, potentially improving their recovery and quality of life.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adults ≥ 18 years
• • Mechanically ventilated at time of recruitment
• • Defined as critically ill by the responsible clinician
• • Recruited within 48-hours of intubation
• • Likely to remain intubated and ventilated for \> 72-hours
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patients \< 18 years
• • Patient is being treated on an end-of-life pathway or active treatment is likely to be withdrawn within 24-hours
• • Patient has significant liver dysfunction (Child-Pugh ≥ class 3)
• • Patient is not absorbing enterally (defined as 2 x NG aspirates of \> 500ml)
• • Known pregnancy or positive urinary pregnancy test on testing
• • Specific exclusion criteria for the muscle biopsy component of the study: Patients taking treatment dose anticoagulation, antiplatelet agents or with severe coagulopathy (or disease process leading to increased risk of bleeding) will be excluded from having a muscle biopsy taken as part of data collection.