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Not yet recruitingNCT07005596Updated Jun 5, 2025

Early Speaking Valve in Ventilator Weaning: Effects on Communication, Depression, and Quality of Life

An interventional study of Passy-Muir Speaking Valve and Standard Non-Verbal Communication Methods in Respiratory Failure, Communication Disorders and Depression, sponsored by Far Eastern Memorial Hospital. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-06-05.

Sponsored by Far Eastern Memorial Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
70
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

This study evaluates the impact of early tracheostomy speaking valve intervention on communication ability, depression levels, and quality of life in ventilator-dependent patients during the weaning phase. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group using the Passy-Muir speaking valve or a control group employing standard non-verbal communication methods. Structured questionnaires will be used at multiple time points to assess changes in patient outcomes. The study aims to provide evidence supporting the use of speaking valves to enhance communication and emotional well-being in tracheostomy patients, potentially improving recovery and care strategies.

Read the detailed description

This randomized controlled trial investigates the effects of early intervention using the Passy-Muir speaking valve on communication, depression, and quality of life in tracheostomy patients undergoing ventilator weaning. The study will enroll 70 participants from the respiratory care center at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, randomly assigned to either the experimental group (speaking valve intervention) or the control group (standard non-verbal communication methods). Data will be collected using validated assessment tools at baseline, week 1, week 2, and week 4. The primary outcomes include improvements in patient communication, reduction in depressive symptoms, and enhancement of overall quality of life. Statistical analysis will be conducted using SPSS 22.0, employing t-tests, chi-square tests, and generalized estimating equations (GEE). Ethical considerations include informed consent, patient confidentiality, and adherence to IRB-approved protocols. Findings from this study will contribute to evidence-based practices for tracheostomy patient care and guide clinical decision-making on communication strategies during ventilator weaning.

02

Conditions studied

  • Respiratory Failure
  • Communication Disorders
  • Depression
  • Quality of Life

Keywords

  • speaking valve
  • tracheostomy
  • communication
03

In context

Respiratory Insufficiency

1,369 studies on the registry are indexed under Respiratory Insufficiency; 264 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 70 is above the median of 60 across 860 interventional studies indexed under Respiratory Insufficiency.

Browse Respiratory Insufficiency studies →

Lead sponsor

Far Eastern Memorial Hospital is the lead sponsor of 260 studies on the registry; 40 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age: ≥18 years old
  • Consciousness: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score 13-15 (can voluntarily open eyes or respond when called, able to follow instructions to move)
  • Tracheostomy: Performed ≥24 hours, with no bleeding, pain, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax, or infection
  • Ventilator Weaning: Trained according to the hospital's Respiratory Care Center standards, able to undergo spontaneous breathing training during the day
  • Ventilator Settings: FiO2 ≤40%
  • Vital Signs: Stable:
  • Heart rate 60-100 beats/min
  • Respiratory rate 12-20 breaths/min
  • Systolic blood pressure \<150 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure \<90 mmHg
  • Blood oxygen saturation 95-100%, no dyspnea complaints
  • Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) between -1 and +1
  • Language: Able to communicate in Mandarin, Taiwanese, or Hakka
  • Consent: Willing to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Recent surgery, anesthesia, or sedative use affecting consciousness
  • Severe unstable vital signs or inability to breathe normally
  • Upper airway obstruction or vocal cord paralysis
  • High dependence on ventilators or high-concentration oxygen therapy
  • History of depression or currently taking antidepressant medication
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
70 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Experimental Group (Speaking Valve Intervention)

    Participants in the experimental group will receive early intervention using the Passy-Muir speaking valve while undergoing ventilator weaning. This intervention aims to improve communication ability, reduce depression levels, and enhance quality of life. The intervention will be implemented at four different time points (Baseline, Week 1, Week 2, Week 4), with structured assessments for effectiveness

    Device: Passy-Muir Speaking Valve

  • Active comparator
    Control Group (Standard Non-Verbal Communication)

    Participants in the control group will continue using standard non-verbal communication methods, such as lip-reading and gestures, during ventilator weaning. This group serves as a comparison to assess the effectiveness of early speaking valve intervention in tracheostomy patients.

    Behavioral: Standard Non-Verbal Communication Methods

Interventions

  • DevicePassy-Muir Speaking Valve

    This intervention group receives early speaking valve intervention during ventilator weaning.

    Also known as: Experimental Group

  • BehavioralStandard Non-Verbal Communication Methods

    This control group continues using conventional non-verbal communication methods such as gestures and lip-reading.

    Also known as: Control Group

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Communication Ability (Measured using the Communication Difficulty Scale)

    Communication ability will be assessed using the Communication Difficulty Scale (CDS), a validated instrument comprising 13 items designed to measure speech effectiveness in tracheostomy patients. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale (0-4 per item, total score range: 0-52 points), where higher scores indicate greater communication difficulty. Assessments will be conducted at baseline (T0), week 1 (T1), week 2 (T2), and week 4 (T3). Statistical analysis will evaluate changes in communication ability over time using generalized estimating equations (GEE), accounting for intra-subject variability and adjusting for potential confounders such as age, underlying respiratory condition, and baseline cognitive function.

    Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-enrollment

  2. Depression (Measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, PHQ-9)

    Depression symptoms will be assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a validated screening tool widely used in clinical and research settings. The PHQ-9 consists of 9 items, each rated on a 4-point Likert scale (0-3 per item, total score range: 0-27 points), where higher scores indicate greater depressive symptoms. Assessments will be conducted at baseline (T0), week 1 (T1), week 2 (T2), and week 4 (T3). Statistical analysis will evaluate changes in depression scores over time using generalized estimating equations (GEE), adjusting for potential confounders such as age, baseline respiratory function, and pre-existing mental health conditions.

    Time frame: From enrollment to 4 weeks post-enrollment

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Start is estimated for Jun 2025; primary completion for Dec 2027, 30 months later.

Of 359 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Respiratory Insufficiency, half reached primary completion within 24 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 11 and three quarters within 47. This study's planned 30 months is above that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 375 studies reached it within 24 months; a quarter within 10 and three quarters within 46.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
May 12, 2025
First posted
Jun 5, 2025
StartEst.
Jun 15, 2025
Primary completionEst.
Dec 31, 2027
CompletionEst.
Dec 31, 2027
Last update
Jun 5, 2025
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 5, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07005596
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 5, 2025
Start date
Jun 15, 2025 (estimated)
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Jun 5, 2025

Study contacts

CHIA CHI HSU
Contact
jiaqi92058@gmail.com
+8860960606032

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jun 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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