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Trial registered on ANZCTR


Registration number
ACTRN12625001092482
Ethics application status
Approved
Date submitted
12/09/2025
Date registered
8/10/2025
Date last updated
8/10/2025
Date data sharing statement initially provided
8/10/2025
Type of registration
Retrospectively registered

Titles & IDs
Public title
Can lung ultrasound predict lung complications after open-heart surgery?
Scientific title
Can lung ultrasound predict post-operative pulmonary complications in high-risk post-operative cardiac surgery patients?
Secondary ID [1] 315364 0
None
Universal Trial Number (UTN)
Trial acronym
Linked study record
This study is a sub-study within the primary study "Nasal Oxygen Therapy After Cardiac Surgery (NOTACS)", registration record: NCT05308719.

Health condition
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied:
Open-heart surgery 338850 0
Postoperative pulmonary complications 338851 0
Cardiopulmonary bypass 338929 0
Condition category
Condition code
Respiratory 335140 335140 0 0
Other respiratory disorders / diseases
Cardiovascular 335229 335229 0 0
Other cardiovascular diseases

Intervention/exposure
Study type
Observational
Patient registry
False
Target follow-up duration
Target follow-up type
Description of intervention(s) / exposure
Recruited participants will have all undergone open-heart surgery and be recruited to the Nasal High-flow Oxygen Therapy After Cardiac Surgery (NOTACS) international multicentre trial (registration record: NCT05308719) whereby high-risk patients undergoing open-heart surgery are allocated to either conventional/standard oxygen therapy, or nasal high-flow oxygen therapy.

Two lung ultrasound scans will be completed postoperatively at two separate timepoints: 1. Pre-extubation (within four to 12 hours pre-extubation) and 2. Post-extubation )within 12-16 hours post-extubation).

The observation period for the primary outcome (postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs)) will be seven days postoperatively.
Intervention code [1] 331969 0
Early Detection / Screening
Comparator / control treatment
No control group.
Control group
Uncontrolled

Outcomes
Primary outcome [1] 342781 0
Occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complication (PPC) atelectasis.
Timepoint [1] 342781 0
Assessed daily within 7 days postoperatively.
Primary outcome [2] 342836 0
Severity of PPCs
Timepoint [2] 342836 0
Assessed at the end of 7 days postoperatively via data collected during the NOTACS trial from electronic medical records. Data initially captured in paper case reporting forms and then transferred into a password protected electronic database. Relevance case reporting forms include Oxygen Logs and Adverse Events Logs.
Primary outcome [3] 342911 0
Occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complication (PPC) pneumonia.
Timepoint [3] 342911 0
Assessed daily within 7 days postoperatively.
Secondary outcome [1] 452087 0
Pre-extubation lung aeration score.
Timepoint [1] 452087 0
Assessed once within four to 12 hours pre-extubation.
Secondary outcome [2] 452088 0
Post-extubation lung aeration score.
Timepoint [2] 452088 0
Assessed once within 12-16 hours post-extubation.
Secondary outcome [3] 452089 0
Severity of PPCs (mild, moderate, severe).
Timepoint [3] 452089 0
Assessed at the end of 7 days postoperatively via data collected during the NOTACS trial from electronic patient medical records. Data initially captured in paper case reporting forms and then transferred into a password protected electronic database. Relevance case reporting forms include Oxygen Logs and Adverse Events Logs.
Secondary outcome [4] 452090 0
Occurrence of reintubation and mechanical ventilation, assessed as a composite outcome.
Timepoint [4] 452090 0
Assessed daily within 7 days post-operatively.
Secondary outcome [5] 452091 0
Requirement for non-invasive ventilation.
Timepoint [5] 452091 0
Assessed daily within 7 days post-operatively.
Secondary outcome [6] 452092 0
Requirement for nasal high-flow oxygen for participants receiving standard oxygen therapy.
Timepoint [6] 452092 0
Assessed daily within 7 days post-operatively.
Secondary outcome [7] 452673 0
Primary outcome: occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complication (PPC) Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome determined by the Berlin consensus definition (or reintubation within 30 days).
Timepoint [7] 452673 0
Assessed daily within 7 days postoperatively.
Secondary outcome [8] 452674 0
Primary outcome: occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complication (PPC) pulmonary aspiration.
Timepoint [8] 452674 0
Assessed daily within 7 days postoperatively.

Eligibility
Key inclusion criteria
As per NOTACS study criteria:

• Adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass
• One or more risk factors of post-operative pulmonary complications: 1. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 2. Asthma, 3. Lower respiratory tract infection in last four weeks, 4. Body mass index greater than or equal to 35kg/m2, 5. Current (within the last six weeks) heavy smokers (>10 pack years)

No additional inclusion / exclusion criteria were set for this sub-study.
Minimum age
18 Years
Maximum age
No limit
Sex
Both males and females
Can healthy volunteers participate?
No
Key exclusion criteria
• Deep-hypothermic circulatory arrest planned
• Requirement for home ventilatory support (e.g. home continuous positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnoea)

Study design
Purpose
Duration
Selection
Defined population
Timing
Prospective
Statistical methods / analysis
Logistic regression analysis will be used to assess the association between pre-extubation LUS score and PPC. Potential confounders (age, sex, type of respiratory risk factor (COPD, asthma, recent lower respiratory tract infection in the last four weeks as defined by use of antibiotics, body mass index greater than or equal to 35 kg/m2, current (within last 6 weeks) heavy smokers (>10 pack years) and duration of mechanical ventilation)) of the association will be tested. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis will be used to determine the AUC, sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values of LUS in predicting PPC. The association between change in LUS aeration score and PPC, adjusting for baseline LUS will also be assessed using logistic regression. Correlation between LUS and severity of PPC will be assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient.

Differences in effect estimates will be assessed by testing treatment group in the logistic regression model. If indicated, estimates will be produced stratified by treatment group. In subgroup analysis in the COT group, mean lung aeration scores will be compared by whether or not traditional respiratory support failed.

Other outcomes of interest will be reported using descriptive statistics. Continuous measures will be summarized using the mean (SD) or median (IQR) as appropriate and categorical variables will be summarized using frequency (%). Lung aeration scores (pre-extubation, post-extubation and change between timepoints), baseline patient characteristics, duration of intubation and intervention status (NHFO or COT) will be compared between groups using Student’s t-test, Wilcoxon’s rank-sum test or Pearson’s chi-square or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate.

Recruitment
Recruitment status
Completed
Date of first participant enrolment
Anticipated
Actual
Date of last participant enrolment
Anticipated
Actual
Date of last data collection
Anticipated
Actual
Sample size
Target
Accrual to date
Final
Recruitment in Australia
Recruitment state(s)
NSW,QLD,WA
Recruitment hospital [1] 28462 0
The Prince Charles Hospital - Chermside
Recruitment hospital [2] 28463 0
Fiona Stanley Hospital - Murdoch
Recruitment hospital [3] 28464 0
Royal North Shore Hospital - St Leonards
Recruitment postcode(s) [1] 44698 0
4032 - Chermside
Recruitment postcode(s) [2] 44699 0
6150 - Murdoch
Recruitment postcode(s) [3] 44700 0
2065 - St Leonards

Funding & Sponsors
Funding source category [1] 319949 0
Charities/Societies/Foundations
Name [1] 319949 0
The Common Good Foundation
Country [1] 319949 0
Australia
Primary sponsor type
Hospital
Name
The Prince Charles Hospital
Address
Country
Australia
Secondary sponsor category [1] 322481 0
None
Name [1] 322481 0
Address [1] 322481 0
Country [1] 322481 0

Ethics approval
Ethics application status
Approved
Ethics committee name [1] 318485 0
Metro South Human Research Ethics Committee
Ethics committee address [1] 318485 0
Ethics committee country [1] 318485 0
Australia
Date submitted for ethics approval [1] 318485 0
06/11/2022
Approval date [1] 318485 0
21/11/2022
Ethics approval number [1] 318485 0
HREC/2022/QMS/79359

Summary
Brief summary
Trial website
Trial related presentations / publications
Public notes

Contacts
Principal investigator
Name 144354 0
Mr Luke Churchill
Address 144354 0
The Prince Charles Hospital, Rode Rd, CHERMSIDE, QLD, 4032
Country 144354 0
Australia
Phone 144354 0
+61 409876227
Fax 144354 0
Email 144354 0
Contact person for public queries
Name 144355 0
Luke Churchill
Address 144355 0
The Prince Charles Hospital, Rode Rd, CHERMSIDE, QLD, 4032
Country 144355 0
Australia
Phone 144355 0
+61 409876227
Fax 144355 0
Email 144355 0
Contact person for scientific queries
Name 144356 0
Luke Churchill
Address 144356 0
The Prince Charles Hospital, Rode Rd, CHERMSIDE, QLD, 4032
Country 144356 0
Australia
Phone 144356 0
+61 409876227
Fax 144356 0
Email 144356 0

Data sharing statement
Will the study consider sharing individual participant data?
Yes
Will there be any conditions when requesting access to individual participant data?
Persons/groups eligible to request access:
Researchers
Conditions for requesting access:
Yes, conditions apply:
Requires a scientifically sound proposal or protocol
What individual participant data might be shared?
All de-identified individual participant data
What types of analyses could be done with individual participant data?
Any type of analysis (i.e. no restrictions on data re-use)
When can requests for individual participant data be made (start and end dates)?
From:
After publication of main results
To:
No end date
Where can requests to access individual participant data be made, or data be obtained directly?
Corresponding author email: [email protected]

Are there extra considerations when requesting access to individual participant data?
No


What supporting documents are/will be available?

TypeCitationLinkEmailOther DetailsAttachment
Ethical approval    79359 Ethical Clearance Letter.pdf
Ethical approval    79359 TPCH SSA Approval LTR_.pdf


Results publications and other study-related documents

Documents added manually
No documents have been uploaded by study researchers.

Documents added automatically
No additional documents have been identified.