Ambulance CPAP: Use, Treatment effect and Economics (ACUTE)

A pilot randomised controlled trial of prehospital CPAP for acute respiratory failure.

On
ACUTE project logo

Challenges

To establish if a full-scale RCT of pre-hospital CPAP is appropriate.


Research

Piloting the use of prehospital CPAP in the WMAS.


Results

A full-scale trial is not warranted at this time, as it is not possible to accurately identify patients who will benefit from CPAP in the prehospital environment.


Impact

Work is now being undertaken to understand how we can accurately assess/access the history of patients in the prehospital environment so that CPAP or a full-scale RCT of CPAP use can be undertaken.


Publications

  • Fuller G, Keating S, Goodacre S, et al. A definitive trial of prehospital continuous positive airway pressure versus standard oxygen therapy for acute respiratory failure indicated? The ACUTE pilot randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 2020;10:e035915. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035915
  • Fuller G, Goodacre S, Keating S, Perkins G, Ward M, Rosser A, Gunson I, Miller J, Bradburn M, Thokala P, Harris T, Carson A, Marsh M, Cooper C. The ACUTE (Ambulance CPAP: Use, Treatment effect and economics) feasibility study: a pilot randomised controlled trial of prehospital CPAP for acute respiratory failure. Pilot and Feasibility Studies (2018) 4:86.

Project team

  • Dr Gordon Fuller
  • Prof Steve Goodacre
  • Dr Sam Keating
  • Prof Cindy Cooper
  • Mike Bradburn
  • Sarah Gonzalez
  • Prof Gavin Perkins
  • Prof Tim Harris
  • Dr Praveen Thokala
  • Matt Ward
  • Dr Andy Carson
  • Andy Rosser
  • Imogen Gunson
  • Joshua Miller

Flagship institutes

The University’s four flagship institutes bring together our key strengths to tackle global issues, turning interdisciplinary and translational research into real-world solutions.