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Guidelines & Consensus Statements

Guidelines & Consensus Statements

Guidelines & Consensus Statements

Last updated : 08/12/2025 - 30158 views

Since 1990, ESICM has been committed to producing guidelines and consensus statements from colleagues within the society as well as in collaboration with other international societies to provide the best quality evidence for clinicians at the bedside. These manuscripts have been published in the journal Intensive Care Medicine and other leading journals (endorsement from ESICM does not imply automatic acceptance for publication in ICM journal).

If you wish to propose guidelines or consensus statements, please send the application form to research@esicm.org and we will forward your request to the Chair of the Guidelines Committee.

ESICM has developed a framework for guidance and consensus: you can download it here.

At the end of 2020, the ESICM Executive Committee decided to initiate the development of guidelines.  The society is fortunate enough to benefit from the expertise of renowned specialists and leaders in a substantial variety of topics in intensive care. Therefore it was decided to make a selection and to begin with four guidelines on ultrasound, antimicrobial, fluids and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Under development:

  • ESICM Consensus Statement on Human-Centred Partnership in the ICU. The Co-leaders are: Jos Latour (School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health,University of Plymouth, UK), Margo Van Mol (Dept. of Intensive Care Adults, Erasmus MC University Medical Center,  Rotterdam, the Netherlands), Jozef Kesecioglu (Dept. of Intensive Care Medicine, UMC Utrecht, The Netherlands) and Emilio Ruiz (Dept. of Intensive Care Medicine, University Clinic Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Spain). Development in progress.
  • Joint EANM ESICM Consensus on PET- Positron Emission Tomography in Critically Ill patients
  • Guideline about antimicrobial stewardship for severe infections and sepsis. The co-leaders are Jan De Waele (Ghent University Hospital, Belgium) and Garyphallia Poulakou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece). Development in progress.
  • Transfusion Guideline part III – reversal of anticoagulants in the bleeding critically ill (A. Vlaar, Amsterdam, The Netherlands).
  • Weaning from Mechanical ventilation (joint guideline with ERS) (co-chairs are John Laffey, Nicole Juffermans, Martin Dres, Paolo Navalesi)
  • Shaping ICU nurses’ future: How an ICU Nurse Envisions her professional role in 2030 (SHINE). Delphi study, part of the Olympus project, with the aim to define and reach a consensus on ICU nurses’ professional roles in 2030 (Katerina Iliopoulou, Past Chair of the ESICM N&AHPs Committee, Honorary Research Fellow, City University, London, UK Lead researcher at Hellenic National Public Healthcare Organisation). Expression of interest form open.
2025
  • Monnet X., Messina A., Greco M. et al (2025) ESICM guidelines on circulatory shock and hemodynamic monitoring 2025. 27 Oct. 2025 https://www.esicm.org/esicm-guideline-circulatory-shock-haemodynamic-monitoring/ . https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-025-08137-z Link to free access: https://rdcu.be/eQyqN
  • Nolan J. P., Sandroni C., Cariou A. et al (2025) European Resuscitation Council and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine guidelines 2025: Post‑resuscitation Care. Intensive Care Med. 2025 Oct 22. doi: 10.1007/s00134–025-08117-3.
  • Ostermann, M., Alshamsi, F., Artigas Raventos, A. et al. European Society of Intensive Care Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline on fluid therapy in adult critically ill patients: Part 3—fluid removal at de-escalation phase. Intensive Care Med (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-025-08058-x Published online on 19 August 2025.
  • Mongodi, S., Cortegiani, A., Alonso-Ojembarrena, A. et al. ESICM—ESPNIC international expert consensus on quantitative lung ultrasound in intensive care. Intensive Care Med 51, 1022–1049 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-025-07932-y . Published online on 12 May 2025.
  • Beil, M., Alberto, L., Bourne, R.S. et al. ESICM consensus-based recommendations for the management of very old patients in intensive care. Intensive Care Med 51, 287–301 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-025-07794-4 . Intensive Care Med (2025). Volume 51, pages 287–301, (2025). Published online on 17 February 2025.
  • Mekontso Dessap, A., AlShamsi, F., Belletti, A. et al. European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) 2025 clinical practice guideline on fluid therapy in adult critically ill patients: part 2—the volume of resuscitation fluids. Intensive Care Med (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-025-07840-1. Published online on 31 March 2025
  • Chiara Robba, Edoardo Picetti, Sebastián Vásquez-García et al. The Brussels consensus for non-invasive ICP monitoring when invasive systems are not available in the care of TBI patients (the B-ICONIC consensus, recommendations, and management algorithm). Intensive Care Med, 2025 Jan;51(1):4-20.  doi: 10.1007/s00134-024-07756-2. Epub 2025 Jan 23. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00134-024-07756-2

2024
  • De Waele, J.J., Hunfeld, N., Baid, H. et al. Environmental sustainability in intensive care: the path forward. An ESICM Green Paper. Intensive Care Med 50, 1729–1739 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-024-07662-7 Published in open access on 8 October 2024.
  • Kesecioglu, J., Rusinova, K., Alampi, D. et al. European Society of Intensive Care Medicine guidelines on end of life and palliative care in the intensive care unit. Intensive Care Med 50, 1740–1766 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-024-07579-1 Published in open access.
  • Lavinio, A., Coles, J.P., Robba, C. et al. Targeted temperature control following traumatic brain injury: ESICM/NACCS best practice consensus recommendations. Crit Care 28, 170 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-024-04951-x
  • Bassetti, M., Giacobbe, D.R., Agvald-Ohman, C. et al. Invasive Fungal Diseases in Adult Patients in Intensive Care Unit (FUNDICU): 2024 consensus definitions from ESGCIP, EFISG, ESICM, ECMM, MSGERC, ISAC, and ISHAM. Intensive Care Med 50, 502–515 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-024-07341-7
  • Demoule, A., Decavele, M., Antonelli, M. et al. Dyspnoea in acutely ill mechanically ventilated adult patients: an ERS/ESICM statement. Intensive Care Med 50, 159–180 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-023-07246-x.  Published on 22 February 2024.
  • Wieruszewski, Patrick M.; Leone, Marc; Kaas-Hansen, Benjamin Skov et al. Reporting of Norepinephrine Formulations in Critical Care from the Society of Critical Care Medicine and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine Joint Task Force. Critical Care Medicine (2024) 52(4). p.521-530.
  • Arabi, Y.M., Belley-Cote, E., Carsetti, A. et al. European Society of Intensive Care Medicine clinical practice guideline on fluid therapy in adult critically ill patients. Part 1: the choice of resuscitation fluids. Intensive Care Med 50, 813–831 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-024-07369-9
2023
  • Grasselli, G., Calfee, C.S., Camporota, L. et al. ESICM guidelines on acute respiratory distress syndrome: definition, phenotyping and respiratory support strategies. Intensive Care Med 49, 727–759 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-023-07050-7. Published in open access on 16 June 2023.
  • Martin-Loeches, I., Torres, A., Nagavci, B. et al. ERS/ESICM/ESCMID/ALAT guidelines for the management of severe community-acquired pneumonia. Intensive Care Med 49, 615–632 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-023-07033-8
2022
  • Sandroni, C., Nolan, J.P., Andersen, L.W. et al. ERC-ESICM guidelines on temperature control after cardiac arrest in adults. Intensive Care Med (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-022-06620-5. Published on 28 January 2022.
2021
  • Robba, C., Wong, A., Poole, D. et al. Basic ultrasound head-to-toe skills for intensivists in the general and neuro intensive care unit population: consensus and expert recommendations of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine Intensive Care Med 47, 1347–1367 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-021-06486-z
  • Paul M., Carrara E., Retamar P. et al., European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) guidelines for the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (endorsed by European society of intensive care Medicine). Clinical Microbiology and Infection, Volume 28, Issue 4, 521 – 547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2021.11.025
  • Traduzione in italiano a cura della Società Italiana di Anestesia Analgesia Rianimazione e Terapia Intensiva. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: linee guida internazionali per la gestione de la sepsi e dello shock settico 2021.
2020
  • Leone, M., Einav, S., Chiumello, D. et al. Noninvasive respiratory support in the hypoxaemic peri-operative/periprocedural patient: a joint ESA/ESICM guideline. Intensive Care Med 46, 697–713 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-05948-0.
  • Weiss, S.L., Peters, M.J., Alhazzani, W. et al. Surviving sepsis campaign international guidelines for the management of septic shock and sepsis-associated organ dysfunction in children. Intensive Care Med 46 (Suppl 1), 10–67 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-019-05878-6.
  • Slooter, A.J.C., Otte, W.M., Devlin, J.W. et al. Updated nomenclature of delirium and acute encephalopathy: statement of ten Societies. Intensive Care Med 46, 1020–1022 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-019-05907-4.
  • Abdul-Aziz, M.H., Alffenaar, JW.C., Bassetti, M. et al. Antimicrobial therapeutic drug monitoring in critically ill adult patients: a Position Paper. Intensive Care Med 46, 1127–1153 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-06050-1
  • Vlaar, A.P., Oczkowski, S., de Bruin, S. et al. Transfusion strategies in non-bleeding critically ill adults: a clinical practice guideline from the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Intensive Care Med 46, 673–696 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-019-05884-8
2019
  • Tabah, A., Bassetti, M., Kollef, M.H. et al. Antimicrobial de-escalation in critically ill patients: a position statement from a task force of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) and European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Critically Ill Patients Study Group (ESGCIP). Intensive Care Med 46, 245–265 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-019-05866-w
2018
  • Oddo, M., Poole, D., Helbok, R. et al. Fluid therapy in neurointensive care patients: ESICM consensus and clinical practice recommendations. Intensive Care Med 44, 449–463 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-018-5086-z
  • Pastores, S.M., Annane, D., Rochwerg, B. et al. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in critically ill patients (Part II): Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) 2017. Intensive Care Med 44, 474–477 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-017-4951-5
  • Ince, C., Boerma, E.C., Cecconi, M. et al. Second consensus on the assessment of sublingual microcirculation in critically ill patients: results from a task force of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Intensive Care Med 44, 281–299 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-018-5070-7
2017
  • Annane, D., Pastores, S.M., Rochwerg, B. et al. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in critically ill patients (Part I): Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) 2017. Intensive Care Med 43, 1751–1763 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-017-4919-5
  • Kneyber, M.C.J., de Luca, D., Calderini, E. et al. Recommendations for mechanical ventilation of critically ill children from the Paediatric Mechanical Ventilation Consensus Conference (PEMVECC). Intensive Care Med 43, 1764–1780 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-017-4920-z
  • Torres A., Niederman M., Chastre J. et al. International ERS/ESICM/ESCMID/ALAT guidelines for the management of hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia: Guidelines for the management of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP)/ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Eur Respir J. 2017 Sep 10;50(3). https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.00582-2017
  • Fan E., Del Sorbo L., Goligher E. et al. An Official American Thoracic Society/European Society of Intensive Care Medicine/Society of Critical Care Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline: Mechanical Ventilation in Adult Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2017 May 1;195(9):1253-1263. https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.201703-0548ST
  • Reintam Blaser, A., Starkopf, J., Alhazzani, W. et al. Early enteral nutrition in critically ill patients: ESICM clinical practice guidelines. Intensive Care Med 43, 380–398 (2017). Early enteral nutrition in critically ill patients Clinical practice guidelines. Intensive Care Medicine. 2017;43(3):380-398. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-016-4665-0
  • Rhodes, A., Evans, L.E., Alhazzani, W. et al. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock: 2016. Intensive Care Med 43, 304–377 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-017-4683-6 
2016
  • Serpa Neto, A., Schultz, M.J. & Festic, E. Ventilatory support of patients with sepsis or septic shock in resource-limited settings. Intensive Care Med 42, 100–103 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-015-4070-0
  • Rossaint, R., Bouillon, B., Cerny, V. et al. The European guideline on management of major bleeding and coagulopathy following trauma: fourth edition. Crit Care 20, 100 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-016-1265-x
2015
  • Bosslet G. T., Pope T. M., Rubenfeld G. D., Gabriel T. Bosslet , Thaddeus M. Pope , Gordon D. Rubenfeld. et al An Official ATS/AACN/ACCP/ESICM/SCCM Policy Statement: Responding to Requests for Potentially Inappropriate Treatments in Intensive Care Units. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2015 Jun 1;191(11):1318-30. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.201505-0924ST  
  • Monsieurs K. G., Nolan J.P., Bossaert L., et al European Resuscitation Council Guidelines for Resuscitation 2015: Section 1. Executive summary. Resuscitation 2015 Oct:95:1-80 https://www.resuscitationjournal.com/article/S0300-9572(15)00350-0/fulltext
2014
  • Cecconi, M., De Backer, D., Antonelli, M. et al. Consensus on circulatory shock and hemodynamic monitoring. Task force of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Intensive Care Med 40, 1795–1815 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-014-3525-z  
  • Le Roux, P., Menon, D.K., Citerio, G. et al. Consensus summary statement of the International Multidisciplinary Consensus Conference on Multimodality Monitoring in Neurocritical Care : a statement for healthcare professionals from the Neurocritical Care Society and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.  Intensive Care Med 40, 1189–1209 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-014-3369-6
  • Spasovski, G., Vanholder, R., Allolio, B. et al. Clinical practice guideline on diagnosis and treatment of hyponatraemia. Intensive Care Med 40, 320–331 (2014). Clinical practice guideline on diagnosis and treatment of hyponatraemia.  Intensive Care Medicine, Volume 40, Issue 3 / March, 2014 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-014-3210-2
2013
  • Dellinger, R.P., Levy, M.M., Rhodes, A. et al.
     Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock, 2012.  Intensive Care Med 39 , 165–228 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-012-2769-8
2012
  • ARDS Definition Task Force:  V Marco Ranieri, Gordon D Rubenfeld, B Taylor Thompson, et al. Acute respiratory distress syndrome: the Berlin Definition Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome – The Berlin Definition. JAMA. 2012;307(23):2526-2533. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/1160659
  • Rhodes, A., Moreno, R.P., Azoulay, E. et al. Prospectively defined indicators to improve the safety and quality of care for critically ill patients: a report from the Task Force on Safety and Quality of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM). Intensive Care Med 38, 598–605 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-011-2462-3
2011
  • Valentin, A., Ferdinande, P. & ESICM Working Group on Quality Improvement. Recommendations on basic requirements for intensive care units: structural and organizational aspects. Intensive Care Med 37, 1575–1587 (2011).  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-011-2300-7
  • Expert Round Table on Ultrasound in ICU. International expert statement on training standards for critical care ultrasonography. Intensive Care Med 37, 1077–1083 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-011-2246-9
2010
  • Laurent Brochard , Fekri Abroug , Matthew Brenner. et al. An Official ATS/ERS/ESICM/SCCM/SRLF Statement: Prevention and Management of Acute Renal Failure in the ICU Patient: an international consensus conference in intensive care medicine. ATS/ERS/ESICM/SCCM/SRLF Ad Hoc Committee on Acute Renal Failure. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2010 May 15;181(10):1128-55 https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.200711-1664ST
2008
2007
2005
2004
  • Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines for management of severe sepsis and septic shock.Intensive Care Medicine. Vol 30(5): 536-555, 2004.
  • The Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines for the management of severe sepsis and septic shock:   Background, recommendations, and discussion from an evidence-based review. A supplement to Critical Care Medicine Vol 32 (11): S445-S597, 2004.
2001
  • 2001 SCCM/ESICM/ACCP/ATS/SIS: International Sepsis Definitions Conference. (ESICM Section on Sepsis) Intensive Care Medicine. Vol 29(4): 530-538, 2003.
  • European Task Force on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). (ERS/ESICM/ESCMID/ESA) Eur Respir J. 2001 May;17(5):1034-45 PMID: 11488306 
1999
  • Recommendations for intra-hospital transport of the severely head injured patient. ESICM Working group on Neurosurgical intensive care. Intensive Care Medicine. Vol 25(12): 1441-1443, 1999
1998
  • Guidelines for the pre-hospital care of patients with severe head injuries. ESICM Working group on Neurosurgical intensive care. Intensive Care Medicine. Vol 24(11): 1221-1225, 1998 
1997
  • Informed consent for research purposes in intensive care patients in Europe Part II. Intensive Care Medicine. Vol 23(4): 435-439, 1997. 
1996
  • The SOFA (Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment) score to describe organ dysfunction/failure. (ESICM Working group on Sepsis-related problems) Intensive Care Med Vol 22(7): 707-710, 1996 
  • Guidelines for a training programme in intensive care medicine. Intensive Care Medicine.Vol 22(2): 166-172, 1996
1994
  • Guidelines for the utilisation of intensive care units. Intensive Care Medicine.Vol 20 (2): 163-164, 1994
  • Guidelines for training in intensive care medicine. Intensive Care Medicine. Vol 20(1): 80-81, 1994