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The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) has developed evidence-based recommendations and expert opinions about end-of-life (EoL) and palliative care for critically ill adults to optimize patient-centered care, improving outcomes of relatives, and supporting intensive care unit (ICU) staff in delivering compassionate and effective EoL and palliative care. An international multi-disciplinary panel of clinical experts, a methodologist, and representatives of patients and families examined key domains, including variability across countries, decision-making, palliative-care integration, communication, family-centered care, and conflict management. Eight evidence-based recommendations (6 of low level of evidence and 2 of high level of evidence) and 19 expert opinions were presented. EoL legislation and the importance of respecting the autonomy and preferences of patients were given close attention. Differences in EoL care depending on country income and healthcare provision were considered. Structured EoL decision-making strategies are recommended to improve outcomes of patients and relatives, as well as staff satisfaction and mental health. Early integration of palliative care and the use of standardized tools for symptom assessment are suggested for patients at high risk of dying. Communication training for ICU staff and printed communication aids for families are advocated to improve outcomes and satisfaction. Methods for enhancing family-centeredness of care include structured family conferences and culturally sensitive interventions. Conflict-management protocols and strategies to prevent burnout among healthcare professionals are also considered. The work done to develop these guidelines highlights many areas requiring further research.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00134-024-07579-1 | DOI Listing |
JMIR Res Protoc
September 2025
Institute of Higher Education and Research in Healthcare, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Background: In pediatric intensive care units, pain, sedation, delirium, and iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (IWS) must be managed as interrelated conditions. Although clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) exist, new evidence needs to be incorporated, gaps in recommendations addressed, and recommendations adapted to the European context.
Objective: This protocol describes the development of the first patient- and family-informed European guideline for managing pain, sedation, delirium, and IWS by the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care.
Trop Doct
September 2025
Additional Professor, Department of Radiodiagnosis, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) typically causes febrile illness and arthralgia. However, severe complications such as encephalitis, rhabdomyolysis, and multiorgan dysfunction are increasingly recognised, particularly during epidemics in endemic regions. We report a case of a 61-year old male presenting with progressive flaccid paraparesis and respiratory failure following febrile illness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJAMA Intern Med
September 2025
Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Importance: Hospitals have reported growing difficulty in discharging patients in a timely manner, often citing bottlenecks in postacute care. Medicare Advantage plans, now the dominant form of Medicare coverage, may contribute to these delays due to administrative and network constraints, yet national evidence is lacking.
Objective: To quantify changes in hospital length of stay for Medicare Advantage vs traditional Medicare beneficiaries.
JAMA Pediatr
September 2025
Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Importance: Neonatal intensive care has advanced over recent decades, yet premature birth remains associated with increased neonatal mortality and morbidity.
Objective: To describe health service use, morbidity, and medication needs up to age 5 years in a contemporary cohort of children born preterm.
Design, Setting, And Participants: This population-based cohort study was conducted in British Columbia (BC), Canada, using health service and pharmacy data linked using provincial administrative databases.
JAMA Netw Open
September 2025
School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Importance: The cost-effectiveness of adding early in-bed cycling to usual physiotherapy among adults receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU) compared with usual physiotherapy alone is unknown.
Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of in-bed cycling plus usual physiotherapy compared with usual therapy alone in the Critical Care Cycling to Improve Lower Extremity Strength (CYCLE) randomized clinical trial.
Design, Setting, And Participants: This trial-based economic evaluation with a 90-day time horizon compared early cycling plus usual physiotherapy vs usual physiotherapy alone from a societal perspective.