Lungs
This is a list of conditions we currently have research studies for. Click to reveal more.
Pneumonia
About
Pneumonia is an inflammation of one or both lungs, usually caused by infection. Around 1 in 20 patients (5%) who are admitted to hospital with pneumonia have a heart attack or stroke within three months.
Aspirin has been used for decades to reduce the chance of having a heart attack or stroke in other patient groups. Although aspirin has limited side effects in the vast majority of people, it carries a very small risk of significant bleeding, therefore it is not clear whether or not giving aspirin to everyone with pneumonia will be beneficial overall.
The ASPECT trial aims to test whether aspirin reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke in patients who are admitted to hospital with pneumonia. This study needs to recruit 22,600 patients over 4-years to answer this question.
Adults aged 50 years and over admitted to hospital with pneumonia will be invited to take part. Those who agree will be split into two groups. One group will be asked to take a course of low dose aspirin each day for 3 months. The other group will not.
Taking Part
You will be given either aspirin daily or no aspirin, which is chosen at random. No further hospital visits are required and you continue your aspirin at home.
How do I take part
Patients admitted to Arrowe Park Hospital with pnumonia may be approached to take part. Ask your doctor whilst you're an in patient.
Collapsed Lung
About
We are recruiting patients who are admitted to hospital with a collapsed lung (pneumothorax). Patients often require treatment to re-inflate the lung. The trial is looking at whether low-grade suction applied to the chest tube, vs. no suction (which we call standard care), re-inflates the lung quicker. The trial is called RASPER, which stands for RANDOMISED TRIAL OF SUCTION FOR PRIMARY PNEUMOTHORAX EARLY RESOLUTION.
Why
It's hoped that applying suction will reduce length of stay in hospital and complications. Benefits include potential re-inflation more quickly in the suction group, but we do not know this for sure.
What's involved?
Your treatment will continue as normal, but you may be given a drain with or without suction; you will be told which treatment you are given. Every day, whilst you are in hospital, you will get an email with a link to a questionnaire with 2 questions about your pain. When you are discharged from hospital you will be followed up via a telephone by our research team.
More information
The study is run by the pleural team at Arrowe Park Hospital.
Research Nurse: Karl Hunter
Contact: wih-tr.ResearchDepartment@nhs.net