The research challenge

The Health Research Board funded Irish Critical Care-Clinical Trials Network (ICC-CTN) was established in 2015 to support research being conducted by the Irish Critical Care – Clinical Trials Group (ICC-CTG) – located within the Clinical Research Centre (UCD-CRC) at St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

The CTN aims to support efforts to conduct high-quality clinical trials on the island of Ireland, based on the opportunity, the science, the feasibility and the ability to enhance the standing of our network locally and internationally.

Our objectives are:

• to energetically grow access to the network, its size, geographical coverage and scope
• to grow the portfolio of CTN supported studies (investigator-initiated and industry studies) to develop a reputation for high-quality work and
• to establish a sustainable CTN for long-term success.

What we are doing

The mission of the ICC-CTN is to undertake high-quality critical care research in Ireland, including multi-centre clinical trials, basic science research, informatics, service delivery and organisation research with a view to translating this knowledge into improving clinical practice. See our current studies.

Who we are

• Prof. Alistair Nichol, Director ICC-CTN
• Ms. Kathy Brickell, Lead ICU Research Coordinator
• Ms. Leanne Hays, Research Assistant
• Ms. Michelle Smyth, Research Coordinator
• Ms. Lorna Murphy, Research Coordinator
• Dr. Kate Ainscough – CTN Program Manager, TAME Project Manager
• Ms. Liadain Reid-EPO Trauma Project Manager

Patient and Public Involvement

The Irish Critical Care-Clinical Trials Network has recently established a Public and Patient Involvement Group. This group consists of past ICU patients and relatives. The purpose of this group is to develop our research and ensure that it is patient-centred, accessible and meaningful to the public and patients.

Members of our team also sit on the Health Research Board-Clinical Research Coordination Ireland-PPI working group.

Current research studies

REMAP-CAP

Randomised, Embedded, Multifactorial Adaptive Platform trial for Community-Acquired Pneumonia. REMAP CAP uses a novel and innovative adaptive trial design to evaluate a number of treatment options simultaneously and efficiently. REMAP CAP trial provides a research platform to efficiently evaluate multiple treatment options for patients who are critically ill with COVID 19.

https://www.remapcap.org/

TEAM

A Trial of Early Activity and Mobility in ICU in patients receiving mechanical ventilation.

TAME

Trial of mechanically ventilated out of hospital cardiac arrest patients admitted to ICU.

SPRINT SARI

Observational study of patients in ICU with sever acute respiratory infection. SPRINT SARI captures patients admitted to ICU with COVID 19

PHIND

Trial to evaluate a point of care assay to identify subtypes of acute respiratory distress syndrome (severe lung failure) which is frequently experienced in ICU patients.

GenOMICC

GenOMICC looks at genetic factors which makes a patient more susceptible to critical illness from COVID 19 and genetic factor which may influence recovery. It is hoped that such findings may further understanding of COVID 19 and support future development of treatment.

Studies commencing next year

EPO TRUAMA

Clinical trial to assess the effect of epoetin alfa (EPO) on patients admitted to ICU who are critically ill following trauma.

REVIVAL

MEGAROX

Completed studies

TRANSFUSE

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Standard Issue Transfusion versus fresher red blood cell use in intensive care (The TRANSFUSE Trial).

PHARLAP

A multi-centre RCT of open lung strategy including permissive hypercapnia, alveolar recruitment and low airway pressures in patients with ARDS

PEPTIC

A cluster randomised, crossover, registry-embedded clinical trial of proton pump inhibitors vs. histamine-2 receptor blockers for ulcer prophylaxis therapy in the Intensive Care Unit (PEPTIC study): study protocol

SPICE III

A prospective multicentre randomised controlled trial of early goal-directed sedation compared with standard care in mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care

STARRT-AKI

Standard vs. Accelerated Initiation of Renal Replacement Therapy (STARRT-AKI)

EPIC III

The Extended Study of Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care III (EPIC III)

WEAN SAFE

Worldwide Assessment of Separation of Patients from ventilatory assistance

POSE

Peri-interventional Outcome Study in the Elderly

STOP AKI

Trial to investigate the safety, tolerability and efficacy and effect on quality of life of human recombinant alkaline phosphatase in the treatment of patients with sepsis associated acute kidney injury.

UNITE COVID 19

Observational study examining impact of COVID 19 on critical care from a global perspective.

Funding Sources

• Health Research Board
• Vincent’s Anaesthetic Foundation
• University College Dublin
• European Commission FP-7 Program
• National Health Medical Research Council
• Health Research Council of New Zealand

Collaborators

• European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM)
• Canadian Critical Care Trials Group (CCCTG)
• Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society – Clinical Trials Group (ANZICS – CTG)
• Irish Critical Care – Clinical Trials Group (ICC-CTG)
• UK Critical Care Research Forum (UKCCRF)
• International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC)
• Global Research Collaboration For Infectious Disease Preparedness (GLOPID-R)
• World Health Organisation
• Monash University, Melbourne
• Oxford University
• Queens University, Belfast
• National University of Ireland Galway
• Trinity College Dublin
• University College Cork / Cork University Hospital Cork
• University of Limerick /University Hospital Limerick
• Health Research Board – Trials Methodology Research Network
• Health Research Board – Clinical Research Coordination Ireland