Survey on the current state of ICU patient discharge practices

The aim of this survey is to gain insight into the current situation of ICU patient care transitions to the next lower level of care. The focus will be on transfer practices from the ICU, stakeholders involved, transfer criteria, established processes and tools used, metrics related to ICU transfer processes, and current barriers to timely and safe discharge to the next lower level of care.

We anticipate that the resulting data could serve as a basis for the development of more specific guidance for the standardization and optimization of care transition processes from the intensive care unit. Further, results could stimulate future research e.g. on collaboration and communication around care transitions, discharge planning tools, process and performance benchmarking and patient safety aspects associated with care transitions

Steering Committee:

Prof. Jan Bakker, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Dept. of IC Adults, Rotterdam (NL); Prof. Hendrik Bracht, University Hospital Ulm, Dept. of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ulm (DE); Prof. Maria Wittmann, University Hospital Bonn, Dept. of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Bonn (DE)

This survey, initiated in the ESICM SIS and MEN Sections, has been endorsed by ESICM. It aims to understand the impact of the use of vitamin C as an adjunctive treatment for the inflamed critically ill patient, as well as for other critically ill patients (those with ARDS, severe pneumonia due to SARS-CoV-2).

Recent publications on vitamin C have focused on the rise of its use in the treatment of the critically ill. The search for the best treatment or the best adjuvant treatment for patients in a refractory situation is a primary objective of these. Despite good initial results and a pathophysiological basis, the efficiency of vitamin C treatments has not been conclusively proven in recent randomized clinical trials. This has meant that the Surviving Sepsis Campaign does not recommend its use. Therefore, although it is not expected that vitamin C is used by a majority of survey respondents, we do expect it to be used in refractory septic shock or have some relevance in local protocols on management of septic shock.

Hemodynamic management and monitoring in patients with cerebrovascular diseases: an international survey.

Initiated  within the ESICM Sections Neurointensive Care and Cardiovascular Dynamics, the aim of this survey is to evaluate the clinical practice, hemodynamic targets, monitoring and management of patients with ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

From these results, the group aims to design large prospective observational studies as evidence is lacking in this field.

Steering Committee: Antonio Messina, Humanitas,  Rozzano, Milan (IT); Robba Chiara, San Martino Hospital, Genova (IT); Maurizio Cecconi, Humanitas , Rozzano, Milan (IT); Meyfroidt Geert, UZ Leuven, Leuven (BE); Xavier Monnet, AP-HP, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Paris (FR); Van Der Jagt Mathieu, Erasmus MC – University Medical Center, Rotterdam (NL); Yaroslava Longhitano, AO St. Antonio, Biagio and Cesare Arrigo, Alessandria (IT); Christian Zanza, Foundation of “Nuovo Ospedale Alba-Bra” and Michele & Pietro Ferrero Hospital, Alba,Bra, Verduno (IT)

The Cerebral infarction from delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) represents the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in patients surviving initial spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH).   

The aim of this project is to perform an international survey about practical issues (i.e. diagnosis, monitoring, prophylaxis and management) of cerebral vasospasm associated with delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) in spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) adult (> 18 years old) patients, requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

The main endpoints will be to examine  diagnostic procedures, monitoring tools, prevention strategies and management options.

Steering Committee: Edoardo Picetti, Fabio Taccone, Pierre Bouzat, Mary Kay Bader, Giuseppe Citerio, Raimund Helbok, Janneke Horn, Robert Loch Macdonald, Victoria McCredie, Geert Meyfroidt, Cássia Righy, Chiara Robba, Deepak Sharma, Wade Smith, Jose I Suarez, Andrew Udy, Stefan Wolf,