Designing and conducting a cluster-randomized trial of ICU admission for the elderly patients: the ICE-CUB 2 study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The benefit of ICU admission for elderly patients remains controversial. This report highlights the methodology, the feasibility of and the ethical and logistical constraints in designing and conducting a cluster-randomized trial of intensive care unit (ICU) admission for critically ill elderly patients.

Methods

We designed an interventional open-label cluster-randomized controlled trial in 24 centres in France. Clusters were healthcare centres with at least one emergency department (ED) and one ICU. Healthcare centres were randomly assigned either to recommend a systematic ICU admission (intervention group) or to follow standard practices regarding ICU admission (control group). Clusters were stratified by the number of ED annual visits (<44,616 or >44,616 visits

SUBMITTER: Boumendil A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4967062 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature