RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Validity of ICU Clinician's Appraisal of Proportionality in CPR

The VICAP-CPR study wants to see if intensive care doctors and nurses can accurately guess how patients will recover after having a heart attack outside of hospital. They're trying to figure out if these healthcare professionals can predict a patient's long-term brain function and quality of life just by looking at them in the first 24 hours after they're admitted. To do this, they’ll ask doctors and nurses to fill out a questionnaire. The answers will then be compared to how those patients actually fared six months later, as recorded in another study called STEPCARE. The main goal is to understand if early observations by medical staff can give good clues about a patient's future health and well-being.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

University Hospital, Ghent

Enrolment target

1,000

Start

18 May 2025

Estimated completion

30 Dec 2026

Cardiac Arrest, Out-Of-Hospital

What is this study about?

Imagine someone has a sudden heart attack outside of a hospital, and their heart stops. This is called an 'out-of-hospital cardiac arrest'. If they are successfully brought back to life, they often end up in intensive care. Doctors and nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) work hard to help these patients recover, and a big part of that is trying to understand how well they might recover in the long run.

This study, called VICAP-CPR, is trying to find out if the early thoughts and feelings of ICU doctors and nurses about a patient's chances of recovery are accurate. Specifically, it's looking at whether these healthcare professionals can predict a patient's long-term brain function and their overall quality of life six months down the line, just by looking at them and assessing their condition in the first 24 hours after they arrive in the ICU. Usually, predicting recovery involves lots of different tests over several days, but this study is curious if the experienced eyes of doctors and nurses can offer valuable early insights.

To figure this out, doctors and nurses looking after patients who are part of another study (called STEPCARE, which is trying to find the best ways to care for these patients after a heart attack) will be asked to share their predictions. These predictions will then be compared to what actually happens with the patients six months later. The results could help us understand if we can make better, more informed decisions about patient care earlier on, and ensure patients receive the most appropriate treatment for their individual situation.

Key takeaways

The study explores if ICU doctors and nurses can predict long-term patient recovery quickly.
It focuses on patients who had a heart attack outside of hospital and are now in intensive care.
Doctors and nurses will share their early predictions about a patient's brain function and quality of life.
These predictions will be compared to patients' actual recovery after six months.
The findings could help improve early decision-making in patient care.

Who may be eligible?

To take part in this study, you don't need to be a patient yourself. Instead, this study is for doctors and nurses who work in an Intensive Care Unit.

Specifically, you need to be a doctor or nurse who is directly involved in caring for patients who are already part of a different study called STEPCARE. If you are caring for these particular patients, you would likely be able to take part.

However, if you are an ICU doctor or nurse but you are not directly looking after a patient who is in the STEPCARE study, then you wouldn't be able to participate in this particular research.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you a doctor or nurse?
Do you work in an Intensive Care Unit?
Are you directly involved in treating patients participating in the STEPCARE study?
Are you at least 18 years old?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study primarily involves doctors and nurses, not patients. If you are an eligible doctor or nurse, your participation would involve completing a questionnaire. This questionnaire will ask for your professional opinion and predictions about the long-term recovery and quality of life for certain patients under your care during their first 24 hours in the Intensive Care Unit. There are no visits, medications, or follow-up required from you beyond completing this assessment. The duration of your involvement would be limited to the time it takes to complete the questionnaire for each relevant patient.

Potential risks and benefits

This study focuses on collecting expert opinions from medical staff, not direct patient intervention. For participating doctors and nurses, there are no direct medical risks. The main benefit is contributing to research that might improve how we understand and care for patients after a serious event. You are always free to decide if you want to participate, and you can withdraw your input at any time without needing to give a reason.

Locations (9)

Medical University Innsbruck
Verified postcode
Innsbruck, Austria· Not yet recruiting
Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg
Verified postcode
Genk, Belgium· Recruiting
Ghent University Hospital
Verified postcode
Ghent, Belgium· Recruiting
Helsinki University Central Hospital
Verified postcode
Helsinki, Finland· Not yet recruiting
Universitätsklinikum Lübeck
Verified postcode
Lübeck, Germany· Recruiting
Policlinico San Martino
Verified postcode
Genova, Italy· Recruiting
Wakefield Hospital
Verified postcode
Wellington, New Zealand· Recruiting
King Abdulaziz Medical City
Verified postcode
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia· Recruiting
Zürich University Hospital
Verified postcode
Zurich, Switzerland· Not yet recruiting

Common questions

What is 'cardiac arrest'?

Cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops pumping blood around your body. It's different from a heart attack, though a heart attack can sometimes lead to cardiac arrest.

What does 'neurological outcome' mean?

This refers to how well a person's brain functions after a medical event. It looks at things like memory, understanding, and movement.

Who are 'ICU clinicians'?

These are the doctors and nurses who work in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which is where very sick patients receive around-the-clock care.

What is the 'STEPCARE study'?

STEPCARE is another research study looking for the best ways to care for patients who have had a cardiac arrest outside of hospital, aiming to improve their survival and brain function.

Will patients be given different treatment because of this study?

No, this study is about collecting opinions from doctors and nurses. It won't change the treatment patients receive, which will still be based on standard medical guidelines and their individual needs.

How to find out more

Patrick Druwé, MD, PhD

patrick.druwe@uzgent.be 003293321387 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.