# Novel Digital Methods to Evaluate Functional and Pulmonary Outcomes following Pediatric Acute Respiratory Failure

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2023 · $408,794

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Children who survive critical illness requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation are at high risk of significant and
long-lasting sequelae including physical and pulmonary function impairments and impairments in health-related
quality of life and the ability to return to previously normal activities. These impairments may be mitigated
through targeted interventions during the pediatric intensive care unit stay or after discharge. The ability to
effectively test interventions is hindered by insufficient methods to objectively quantify post-discharge physical
and pulmonary impairments across representative study populations without significant attrition. Additionally,
we have an incomplete understanding of the relationship between trajectory recoveries across different health
domains and methods of measurement. The objective of this proposal is to validate the use of digital
technologies to objectively measure physical activity and pulmonary function and evaluate the relationship
between recovery trajectories of objectively measured physical and pulmonary functioning and patient-reported
outcomes including health-related quality of life and activity participation in children surviving acute respiratory
failure. We will compare the BioIntellisense BioButton, a discreet wearable device used in adults to monitor
physical activity and the Spirobank Smart Spirometer, a remote digital spirometer, against the gold standards
of wrist-worn accelerometry and laboratory spirometry, respectively. We will also collect patient-reported
outcomes evaluating health-related quality of life and activity participation. This proposal will identify and
validate strategies for remote follow-up of children that optimize patient participation and retention using digital
technologies to expand patient representation and reduce disparities in clinical research participation.
Additionally, it will inform a future R01 proposal to test an intervention aimed at recovery after pediatric acute
respiratory failure by providing a more comprehensive understanding of the associations between recovery of
physical and pulmonary functioning, health-related quality of life, and activity participation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10724042
- **Project number:** 1R21HD112592-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Elizabeth Y Killien
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $408,794
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10724042

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10724042, Novel Digital Methods to Evaluate Functional and Pulmonary Outcomes following Pediatric Acute Respiratory Failure (1R21HD112592-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10724042. Licensed CC0.

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