This study will provide highly reliable information about the use of tight blood glucose control in critically ill patients. It involves an international collaboration between opinion leaders in this field and uses sophisticated statistical methods to combine data from all the clinical trials in this area. The study will clarify many of the current clinical questions about tight glucose control during critical illness, informing practice guidelines in Australia and around the world.
Sedation Practice In Intensive Care Evaluation (SPICE) Randomised Controlled Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,752,725.00
Summary
Almost every patient in intensive care needs sedating drugs for comfort and provision of life-saving treatment. However, sedation causes side effects including coma, delirium and agitation. There is no high-level evidence to help doctors decide which sedatives to choose and the best way to administer them. The SPICE trial will test a new approach called Early Goal-Directed Sedation based on an alternative sedative agent to see whether it delivers safer, targeted light sedation with less delirium ....Almost every patient in intensive care needs sedating drugs for comfort and provision of life-saving treatment. However, sedation causes side effects including coma, delirium and agitation. There is no high-level evidence to help doctors decide which sedatives to choose and the best way to administer them. The SPICE trial will test a new approach called Early Goal-Directed Sedation based on an alternative sedative agent to see whether it delivers safer, targeted light sedation with less delirium.Read moreRead less
The Prophylactic Hypothermia To Lessen Traumatic Brain Injury-randomised Controlled Trial : Continuation Of Funding Request
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$266,321.00
Summary
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and long term disability. About half with severe TBI will die or have a poor outcome. The social and economic costs to the community are high. Treatment focuses on optimising oxygen and blood flow to the brain. Cooling may protect the brain. POLAR is a randomised trial of early cooling in patients with TBI. Cooling is started within 3 hours of injury. Data about the injury management and safety is collected. Recovery is measured at 6 months.
Re-EValuating The Inhibition Of Stress Erosions (REVISE): Gastrointestinal Bleeding Prophylaxis In ICU
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,955,164.00
Summary
Around 50,000 patients in Australian Intensive Care Units receive a drug called pantoprazole each year with the aim of preventing bleeding from the gut. Recent research suggests this practice is ineffective and may harm patients by increasing their risk of serious infections. We will perform a definitive study to determine whether the widespread use of pantoprazole is beneficial or harmful.
Improving Outcomes For Critically Ill Patients After Traumatic Brain Injury And Blood Transfusion
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,049.00
Summary
The Fellowship will support an academic clinician to lead the Alfred Intensive Care Department, and the Monash ANZIC Research Centre. Two pivotal NHMRC supported clinical trials, led by the Fellow, are each the largest and most definitive trials in their fields, and will complete during Fellowship and provide extensive data for research outputs. Concurrently, a new research program to improve patients function and quality of life after critical illness, will be supported.
A Phase IIb Randomised Controlled Trial Of Continuous Beta-lactam Infusion Compared With Intermittent Beta-lactam Dosing In Critically Ill Patients With Severe Sepsis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$947,371.00
Summary
This randomised controlled trial aims to compare, in critically-ill patients with severe sepsis managed in the intensive care unit, whether the administration of beta-lactam antibiotics via continuous infusion improves outcomes for patients compared with standard intermittent dosing. The potential significance of this step-wise research program is that it may lead to a simple and cost-effective intervention to improve ICU-free days, clinical cure and survival for patients with severe infections.
Optimisation By Platform Trial Involving Multiple Interventions With Simultaneous Evaluation In Community Acquired Pneumonia (OPTIMISE-CAP)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,413,145.00
Summary
In Australia severe Community Acquired Pneumonia is responsible for more than 7000 ICU admissions and 1400 deaths each year. This trial will determine the optimal treatments among existing choices of therapy related to choice of antibiotic, ventilator strategy and modulation of the immune system. The trial uses new methods to answer more research questions as quickly as possible.
Improving Ubiquitous Interventions To Optimise Outcomes From Critical Illness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$333,710.00
Summary
A/Prof Deane is a specialist intensive care physician who combines clinical work at The Royal Melbourne Hospital with a large research program. The research supported by this Fellowship will translate to fundamental changes in the administration of ubiquitous interventions and will optimise management of conditions that occur frequently in the critically ill and represent a major source of mortality, morbidity and healthcare utilisation/costs.
BLING III: A Phase III Randomised Controlled Trial Of Continuous Beta-lactam Infusion Compared With Intermittent Beta-lactam Dosing In Critically Ill Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,269,943.00
Summary
This Australian-led trial of global significance will provide definitive clinical evidence of the optimal method for treating patients with severe sepsis using beta-lactam antibiotics. The trial will compare whether continuous infusion of beta-lactam antibiotics improves outcomes for patients compared with standard intermittent dosing. The potential significance of this trial is that it may lead to a simple and cost-effective intervention to improve survival for patients with severe infections.