Canadian Critical Care Comparative Effectiveness Platform

Many supportive therapies used daily in the ICU setting remain under-studied despite being resource-intensive. CEPEC aims to incorporate domains evaluating vasopressors, platelets, nutrition, sedation and analgesia, and other interventions. VASOPRESSOR DOMAIN The investigators will investigate whether vasoactive medications should be used differently for different subgroups of patients who are in a state of cardiovascular shock (i.e. heterogeneity of treatment effects). Vasoactive medications are common in critically ill patients, and have considerable patient, hospital, and health system resource impact, but their use remains poorly supported by scientific evidence. PLATELET DOMAIN Platelet transfusions are commonly prescribed to critically ill patients and have considerable patient, hospital, and health system resource impact, but remain poorly supported by scientific evidence. We propose to join a multicentre randomized clinical trial (T4P, ISRCTN79371664) addressing the optimal use of platelet transfusions for critically ill patients with thrombocytopenia in advance of invasive procedures. A multinational collaboration will ensure timely completion of this high-impact multicentre randomized clinical trial. The Canadian component of the T4P trial is embedded in the CEPEC platform as the Platelet Domain. NUTRITION DOMAIN Most critically ill patients cannot eat normally and require a specialized method of feeding, called enteral nutrition. It is provided every hour around the clock. This differs from how we usually eat, with meals (boluses) divided over the day while we are awake. The goals of this study are to determine if a large study can be successfully done comparing nutrition given 3 times a day (boluses) compared to given in small amounts every hour (continuously).