PROSAFE: a European endeavor to improve quality of critical care medicine in seven countries.

Background: Long-lasting shared research databases are an important source of epidemiological information and can promote comparison between different healthcare services. Here we present PROSAFE, an advanced international research network in intensive care medicine, with the focus on assessing and improving the quality of care. The project involved 343 ICUs in seven countries.

Mortality attributable to different Klebsiella susceptibility patterns and to the coverage of empirical antibiotic therapy: a cohort study on patients admitted to the ICU with infection.

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic importance of different Klebsiella spp. sensitivity patterns: multi-susceptible Klebsiella (MS-K), extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant, but carbapenem-susceptible Klebsiella (ESCR-CS-K), and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella (CR-K).

Methods: We developed a prognostic model to predict hospital mortality in patients with infection on admission to the intensive care units (ICUs), and assessed its calibration in the subgroups of interest: patients with infections due to MS-K, ESCR-CS-K, CR-K.

Cirrhotic patients admitted to the ICU for medical reasons: Analysis of 5506 patients admitted to 286 ICUs in 8years.

Purpose: To describe characteristics and prognostic factors of cirrhotic patients admitted to a representative sample of Italian intensive care units (ICUs).

Materials And Methods: All patients admitted to 286 ICUs for medical reasons between 2002 and 2010 (excluding 2007) were considered. A logistic regression model was developed on cirrhotics to predict hospital mortality.

[The register GiViTI about the use of the drug Xigris® in the Italian intensive care units].

Introduction: The Register was aimed at monitoring the use, possible side effects, and clinical effectiveness of Xigris® - drotrecogin alfa (activated) - for the treatment of severe sepsis in Italian intensive care units (ICUs).

Methods: Data collection was performed using an online web form or a specific electronic module of the software Margherita, available only for the ICUs adhering to the GiViTI. Drug purchase information available for each center was used to identify and stimulate collaboration of non-compliant centers.

Is influenza A(H1N1) pneumonia more severe than other community-acquired pneumonias? Results of the GiViTI survey of 155 Italian ICUs.

Purpose: Uncertainty about the severity of the A(H1N1) pandemia persists. Information about disease severity can be obtained by investigating intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, especially when historical comparisons can be made with cases of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in 155 ICUs contributing to the GiViTI national database.