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 write to research@esicm.org and we will forward your request to the Chair of the Guidelines Group.
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:
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.
Guideline about fluid therapy in the ICU. The co-leaders are Daniel De Backer (CHIREC, Brussels, Belgium) and Morten Hyllander Møller (University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark). Development in progress.
ESICM Consensus Conference on shock diagnosis and haemodynamic monitoring in the ICU. The co-chairs are Michel Chew (University of Lund, Sweden) and Xavier Monnet (University of Paris Saclay, France).
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)
ESICM Consensus Guidelines on Palliative and End of Life Care in ICU patients. The co-chairs are Elie Azoulay (University Hospital St-Louis, Paris, France), Jozef Kesecioglu (University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands), Katerina Rusinova (General University Hospital, Prague, Czechia).
2023
Giacomo Grasselli, Carolyn S. Calfee, Luigi Camporota, Daniele Poole et al. ESICM guidelines on acute respiratory distress syndrome: definition, phenotyping and respiratory support strategies. Intensive Care Med (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-023-07050-7. Published in open access on 16 June 2023.
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). doi: 10.1007/s00134-021-06486-z. Free PMC article.
Paul M 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, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2021.11.025
Transfusion strategies in non-bleeding critically ill adults: a clinical practice guideline from the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Vlaar AP, Oczkowski S, de Bruin S, Wijnberge M, Antonelli M, Aubron C, Aries P, Duranteau J, Juffermans NP, Meier J, Murphy GJ, Abbasciano R, Muller M, Shah A, Perner A, Rygaard S, Walsh TS, Guyatt G, Dionne JC, Cecconi M.Intensive Care Med. 2020 Apr;46(4):673-696. doi: 10.1007/s00134-019-05884-8. Epub 2020 Jan 7. PMID: 31912207. Free PMC article.
2020
Noninvasive respiratory support in the hypoxaemic peri-operative/periprocedural patient: a joint ESA/ESICM guideline. Intensive Care Med.(2020).
Surviving Sepsis Campaign International Guidelines for the Management of Septic Shock and Sepsis-Associated Organ Dysfunction in Children. Intensive Care Med 46, 10–67 (2020). Executive Summary.
Updated nomenclature of delirium and acute encephalopathy: statement of ten Societies. Intensive Care Med. (2020).
Antimicrobial Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) in Critically Ill Adult Patients – a position paper. Intensive Care Med. 2020 Jun;46(6): 1127-1153
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 Medicine Volume 46, pages245–265 (2020). (PMID:31781835)
Fluid therapy in neurointensive care patients: ESICM consensus and clinical practice recommendations. Intensive Care Med. 2018 Apr;44(4):449-463.
Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in critically ill patients (Part II). Crit Care Med. 2018 Apr;44(4):474-477.
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. 2018 , Volume 44, Issue 3, pages 281–299
2017
Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in critically ill patients (Part I). Intensive Care Med. 2017 , Volume 43, Issue 12, pages 1751–1763
Recommendations for mechanical ventilation of critically ill children from the Paediatric Mechanical Ventilation Consensus Conference (PEMVECC).Intensive Care Med. 2017 Dec;43(12):1764-1780
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).
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. Erratum
Early enteral nutrition in critically ill patients Clinical practice guidelines. Intensive Care Medicine. 2017;43(3):380-398.
Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock: 2016. Intensive Care Med. 2017 Mar;43(3):304-377.
2016
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.
Ventilatory support of patients with sepsis or septic shock in resource-limited settings. Intensive Care Medicine. 2016;42:100-103.
2015
2014
Consensus on circulatory shock and haemodynamic monitoring. Task force of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Intensive Care Medicine, Volume 40, Issue 12 / December, 2014
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 Medicine, Volume 40, Issue 9 / September, 2014
Clinical practice guideline on diagnosis and treatment of hyponatraemia. Intensive Care Medicine, Volume 40, Issue 3 / March, 2014
2013
Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International guidelines for management of severe sepsis and septic shock, 2012. Intensive Care Medicine – Jan 2013
2012
Mortality after surgery in Europe: a 7 day cohort study.Pearse RM. European Surgical Outcomes Study. (EuSOS) group for the Trials groups of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine and the European Society of Anaesthesiology. Lancet. 2012 Sep 22;380(9847):1059-65. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61148-9.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome – The Berlin Definition. The ARDS Definition Task Force. JAMA. 2012;307(23):2526-2533.
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. 2012 Jan 26 [Epub ahead of print]
2011
Recommendations on basic requirements for intensive care units: structural and organisational aspects. Intensive Care Med. 2011 Oct;37(10):1575-87. Epub 2011 Sep 15
International expert statement on training standards for critical care ultrasonography Expert Round Table on Ultrasound in ICU. Intensive Care Med. 2011 Jul;37(7):1077-83. Epub 2011 May 26
Recommendations on basic requirements for intensive care units: structural and organisational aspects. Intensive Care Medicine, June 2011
2010
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
2008
Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International guidelines for management of severe sepsis and septic shock: 2008. Intensive Care Medicine Vol 34:17-60 Erratum
ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure 2008: the Task Force for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure 2008 of the European Society of Cardiology. Developed in collaboration with the Heart Failure Association of the ESC (HFA) and endorsed by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM).ESC Committee for Practice Guidelines (CPG). Eur J Heart Fail. 2008 Oct;10(10):933-89. Epub 2008 Sep 16. Review. No abstract available. Erratum in: Eur J Heart Fail. 2010 Apr;12(4):416. Dosage error in article text. Eur J Heart Fail. 2009 Jan;11(1):110
2007
Management of bleeding following major trauma: a European guideline. Critical Care 2007, 11:R17
The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) and the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC).Intensive Care Med. 2007 Mar;33(3):423-5. Epub 2007 Feb 16.
2005
Executive summary of the guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of acute heart failure. Rev Esp Cardiol. 2005 Apr;58(4):389-429. Review. Original language-Spanish. No abstract available
The European Union Directive on Clinical Research: present status of implementation in EU member states’ legislations with regard to the incompetent patient.Intensive Care Medicine Vol 31(3): 476-479, 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
