The Hering-Breuer Reflex in Bilateral Lung Transplant Patients

The goal of this clinical trial (non-pharmacologic, single-center) is to determine whether the Hering-Breuer inflation reflex is preserved-and how it is modulated by end-expiratory pressure-in adult intensive-care patients who have undergone bilateral lung transplantation. The study will enroll men and women ≥ 18 years admitted to the ICU during the early weaning phase and will include a comparison group of intubated ICU patients after major non-thoracic surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is the Hering-Breuer reflex (measured as the ratio THBR/TSPONT) absent or attenuated in double-lung-transplant recipients? * Does changing the level of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP 8 vs 12 cmH₂O) influence the reflex? Comparison group: Researchers will compare the transplant arm (post-bilateral lung transplantation) with the control arm (post-operative, non-thoracic surgery patients) to see whether loss or blunting of the reflex-and its response to PEEP-differs between the two cohorts. Participants will: * Have a nasogastric catheter with embedded electrodes positioned to record the electrical activity of the diaphragm (EAdi). * Be ventilated in pressure-support mode at two preset PEEP levels (8 cmH₂O and 12 cmH₂O) during the weaning phase. * Receive one standardized high-volume insufflation at \~30 cmH₂O in each PEEP condition to elicit the reflex, while EAdi, airway pressures, inspiratory/expiratory times, and tidal volumes are recorded for 10 minutes per level.

NCT Number	NCT07280611
Lead Sponsor	Policlinico Hospital
Conditions	Hering-Breuer Reflex
Enrollment	22 participants
Start Date	2025-10-07
Primary Completion	2026-01 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-06 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2025-12-12