EPiC-HFT
This clinical trial will investigate if home High-Flow Therapy (HFT) improves 12-month admission-free survival (time to readmission or death) following a severe exacerbation of COPD requiring hospitalisation. This is an area of unmet need, given the demonstrable limitations to current interventions which are costly, have extensive side-effects, limited availability and variable efficacy. If this this clinical trial demonstrates clinical and cost effectiveness of HFT, this technology could be rapidly incorporated into routine NHS clinical practice.
Open sites:
- Guy's and St. Thomas Hospital
- Leeds Teaching Hospital
- Royal Free Hospital/Barnet Hospital
- Northumbria Healthcare-North Tyneside
- Liverpool University Hospitals
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital-Glasgow
- University of Leicester
- University Hospitals Birmingham-Heartlands Hospital/Good Hope Hospital
- Nottingham University Hospital
- Manchester University Hospitals
- Mid-Yorkshire Teaching Hospitals
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
- King's College Hospital
- Taunton and Somerset NHS
- Newcastle University
- East Lancashire Hospitals
Recruitment to 10/06/2025: 181/502
Download the EPiC-HFT fact sheet (pdf, English)
Aims
To identify whether home HFT in addition to usual medical care improves 12-month admission-free survival following hospitalisation with a non-hypercapnic exacerbation of COPD.
Trials Design
This is a multi-centre randomised controlled trial in which patients hospitalised with COPD exacerbation are randomised to receive home HFT and usual care or usual care alone with a 12-month follow-up period.
Investigators
Professor of Respiratory and Citical Care Medicine
Clinical Lead Lane Fox Service
Chair in Medical Statistics and Clinical Trials
Affiliations
Funding
Funding Body: ResMed
Amount: £1,129,968
Period: March 2023 - February 2027