A Model Predicting the 6-Month Disability of Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury to Assess the Quality of Care in Intensive Care Units: Results from the CREACTIVE Study.

Assessing quality of care is essential for improving the management of patients experiencing traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study aimed at devising a rigorous framework to evaluate the quality of TBI care provided by intensive care units (ICUs) and applying it to the Collaborative Research on Acute Traumatic Brain Injury in Intensive Care Medicine in Europe (CREACTIVE) consortium, which involved 83 ICUs from seven countries. The performance of the centers was assessed in terms of patients' outcomes, as measured by the 6-month Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E). To account for the between-center differences in the characteristics of the admitted patients, we developed a multinomial logistic regression model estimating the probability of a four-level categorization of the GOS-E: good recovery (GR), moderate disability (MD), severe disability (SD), and death or vegetative state (D/VS). A total of 5928 patients admitted to the participating ICUs between March 2014 and March 2019 were analyzed. The model included 11 predictors and demonstrated good discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve in the validation set for GR: 0.836, MD: 0.802, SD: 0.706, D/VS: 0.890) and calibration, both overall (Hosmer-Lemeshow test p value: 0.87) and in several subgroups, defined by prognostically relevant variables. The model was used as a benchmark for assessing quality of care by comparing the observed number of patients experiencing GR, MD, SD, and D/VS to the corresponding numbers expected in each category by the model, computing observed/expected (O/E) ratios. The four center-specific ratios were assembled with polar representations and used to provide a multidimensional assessment of the ICUs, overcoming the loss of information consequent to the traditional dichotomizations of the outcome in TBI research. The proposed framework can help in identifying strengths and weaknesses of current TBI care, triggering the changes that are necessary to improve patient outcomes.

Comparative Effectiveness of Intracranial Pressure Monitoring on 6-Month Outcomes of Critically Ill Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury.

Importance: While the relationship between persistent elevations in intracranial pressure (ICP) and poorer outcomes is well established for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), there is no consensus on how ICP measurements should drive treatment choices, and the effectiveness of ICP monitoring remains unknown. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of ICP monitoring on short- and mid-term outcomes of patients with TBI. Design, Setting, and Participants: CREACTIVE was a prospective cohort study that started in March 2014 and lasted 5 years. More than 8000 patients with TBI were enrolled at 83 intensive care units (ICUs) from 7 countries who joined the CREACTIVE Consortium. Patients with TBI who met the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines for ICP monitoring were selected for the current analyses, which were performed from January to November 2022. Exposure: Patients who underwent ICP monitoring within 2 days of injury (exposure group) were propensity score-matched to patients who were not monitored or who underwent monitoring 2 days after the injury (control group). Main Outcome and Measure: Functional disability at 6 months as indicated by Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E) score. Results: A total of 1448 patients from 43 ICUs in Italy and Hungary were eligible for analysis. Of the patients satisfying the ICP-monitoring guidelines, 503 (34.7%) underwent ICP monitoring (median [IQR] age: 45 years [29-61 years]; 392 males [77.9%], 111 females [22.1%]) and 945 were not monitored (median [IQR] age: 66 years [48-78 years]; 656 males [69.4%], 289 females [30.6%]). After matching to balance the variables, worse 6-month recovery was observed for monitored patients compared with nonmonitored patients (death/vegetative state: 39.2% vs 40.6%; severe disability: 33.2% vs 25.4%; moderate disability: 15.7% vs 14.9%; good recovery: 11.9% vs 19.1%, respectively; P = .005). Monitored patients received medical therapies significantly more frequently. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, ICP monitoring was associated with poorer recovery and more frequent medical interventions with their relevant adverse effects. Optimizing the value of ICP monitoring for TBI requires further investigation on monitoring indications, clinical interventions, and management protocols.

Medical nutrition therapy and clinical outcomes in critically ill adults: a European multinational, prospective observational cohort study (EuroPN).

BACKGROUND: Medical nutrition therapy may be associated with clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay. We wanted to assess nutrition practices in European intensive care units (ICU) and their importance for clinical outcomes. METHODS: Prospective multinational cohort study in patients staying in ICU ≥ 5 days with outcome recorded until day 90. Macronutrient intake from enteral and parenteral nutrition and non-nutritional sources during the first 15 days after ICU admission was compared with targets recommended by ESPEN guidelines. We modeled associations between three categories of daily calorie and protein intake (low: < 10 kcal/kg, < 0.8 g/kg; moderate: 10-20 kcal/kg, 0.8-1.2 g/kg, high: > 20 kcal/kg; > 1.2 g/kg) and the time-varying hazard rates of 90-day mortality or successful weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). RESULTS: A total of 1172 patients with median [Q1;Q3] APACHE II score of 18.5 [13.0;26.0] were included, and 24% died within 90 days. Median length of ICU stay was 10.0 [7.0;16.0] days, and 74% of patients could be weaned from invasive mechanical ventilation. Patients reached on average 83% [59;107] and 65% [41;91] of ESPEN calorie and protein recommended targets, respectively. Whereas specific reasons for ICU admission (especially respiratory diseases requiring IMV) were associated with higher intakes (estimate 2.43 [95% CI: 1.60;3.25] for calorie intake, 0.14 [0.09;0.20] for protein intake), a lack of nutrition on the preceding day was associated with lower calorie and protein intakes (- 2.74 [- 3.28; - 2.21] and - 0.12 [- 0.15; - 0.09], respectively). Compared to a lower intake, a daily moderate intake was associated with higher probability of successful weaning (for calories: maximum HR 4.59 [95% CI: 1.5;14.09] on day 12; for protein: maximum HR 2.60 [1.09;6.23] on day 12), and with a lower hazard of death (for calories only: minimum HR 0.15, [0.05;0.39] on day 19). There was no evidence that a high calorie or protein intake was associated with further outcome improvements. CONCLUSIONS: Calorie intake was mainly provided according to the targets recommended by the active ESPEN guideline, but protein intake was lower. In patients staying in ICU ≥ 5 days, early moderate daily calorie and protein intakes were associated with improved clinical outcomes. Trial registration NCT04143503 , registered on October 25, 2019.

Hospitals with and without neurosurgery: a comparative study evaluating the outcome of patients with traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND: We leveraged the data of the international CREACTIVE consortium to investigate whether the outcome of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) in hospitals without on-site neurosurgical capabilities (no-NSH) would differ had the same patients been admitted to ICUs in hospitals with neurosurgical capabilities (NSH). METHODS: The CREACTIVE observational study enrolled more than 8000 patients from 83 ICUs. Adult TBI patients admitted to no-NSH ICUs within 48 h of trauma were propensity-score matched 1:3 with patients admitted to NSH ICUs. The primary outcome was the 6-month extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E), while secondary outcomes were ICU and hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 232 patients, less than 5% of the eligible cohort, were admitted to no-NSH ICUs. Each of them was matched to 3 NSH patients, leading to a study sample of 928 TBI patients where the no-NSH and NSH groups were well-balanced with respect to all of the variables included into the propensity score. Patients admitted to no-NSH ICUs experienced significantly higher ICU and in-hospital mortality. Compared to the matched NSH ICU admissions, their 6-month GOS-E scores showed a significantly higher prevalence of upper good recovery for cases with mild TBI and low expected mortality risk at admission, along with a progressively higher incidence of poor outcomes with increased TBI severity and mortality risk. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, centralization of TBI patients significantly impacted short- and long-term outcomes. For TBI patients admitted to no-NSH centers, our results suggest that the least critically ill can effectively be managed in centers without neurosurgical capabilities. Conversely, the most complex patients would benefit from being treated in high-volume, neuro-oriented ICUs.

Prognostic Value of a Combination of Circulating Biomarkers in Critically Ill Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: Results from the European CREACTIVE Study.

Individualized patient care is essential to reduce the global burden of traumatic brain injury (TBI). This pilot study focused on TBI patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) and aimed at identifying patterns of circulating biomarkers associated with the disability level at 6 months from injury, measured by the extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E). The concentration of 107 biomarkers, including proteins related to inflammation, innate immunity, TBI, and central nervous system, were quantified in blood samples collected on ICU admission from 80 patients. Patients were randomly selected among those prospectively enrolled in the Collaborative Research on Acute Traumatic Brain Injury in Intensive Care Medicine in Europe (CREACTIVE) observational study. Six biomarkers were selected to be associated with indicators of primary or secondary brain injury: three glial proteins (glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and S100 calcium-binding protein B) and three cytokines (stem cell factor, fibroblast growth factor [FGF] 23 and FGF19). The subjects were grouped into three clusters according to the expression of these proteins. The distribution of the 6-month GOS-E was significantly different across clusters (p < 0.001). In two clusters, the number of 6-month deaths or vegetative states was significantly lower than expected, as calculated according to a customization of the corticosteroid randomization after significant head injury (CRASH) scores (observed/expected [O/E] events = 0.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.00-0.90 and 0.00, 95% CI: 0.00-0.94). In one cluster, less-than-expected unfavorable outcomes (O/E = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.05-0.95) and more-than-expected good recoveries (O/E = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.05-2.06) were observed. The improved prognostic accuracy of the pattern of these six circulating biomarkers at ICU admission upon established clinical parameters and computed tomography results needs validation in larger, independent cohorts. Nonetheless, the results of this pilot study are promising and will prompt further research in personalized medicine for TBI patients.

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. All patients admitted to the ICU were eligible for data collection. METHODS: The PROSAFE network collected data using the same electronic case report form translated into the corresponding languages. A complex, multidimensional validation system was implemented to ensure maximum data quality. Individual and aggregate reports by country, region, and ICU type were prepared annually. A web-based data-sharing system allowed participants to autonomously perform different analyses on both own data and the entire database. RESULTS: The final analysis was restricted to 262 general ICUs and 432,223 adult patients, mostly admitted to Italian units, where a research network had been active since 1991. Organization of critical care medicine in the seven countries was relatively similar, in terms of staffing, case mix and procedures, suggesting a common understanding of the role of critical care medicine. Conversely, ICU equipment differed, and patient outcomes showed wide variations among countries. CONCLUSIONS: PROSAFE is a permanent, stable, open access, multilingual database for clinical benchmarking, ICU self-evaluation and research within and across countries, which offers a unique opportunity to improve the quality of critical care. Its entry into routine clinical practice on a voluntary basis is testimony to the success and viability of the endeavor.

[Perioperative use of levosimendan in cardiac surgery. Hungarian recommendation]. / A levoszimendán perioperatív alkalmazása a szívsebészetben. Magyar ajánlás.

Low output syndrome significantly increases morbidity and mortality of cardiac surgery and lengthens the durations of intensive care unit and hospital stays. Its treatment by catecholamines can lead to undesirable systemic and cardiac complications. Levosimendan is a calcium sensitiser and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium channel (IK,ATP) opener agent. Due to these effects, it improves myocardium performance, does not influence adversely the balance between O2 supply and demand, and possesses cardioprotective and organ protective properties as well. Based on the scientific literature and experts' opinions, a European recommendation was published on the perioperative use of levosimendan in cardiac surgery in 2015. Along this line, and also taking into consideration cardiac surgeon, anaesthesiologist and cardiologist representatives of the seven Hungarian heart centres and the children heart centre, the Hungarian recommendation has been formulated that is based on two pillars: literature evidence and Hungarian expert opinions. The reviewed fields are: coronary and valvular surgery, assist device implantation, heart transplantation both in adult and pediatric cardiologic practice. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(22): 870-877.

Worldwide Survey of the "Assessing Pain, Both Spontaneous Awakening and Breathing Trials, Choice of Drugs, Delirium Monitoring/Management, Early Exercise/Mobility, and Family Empowerment" (ABCDEF) Bundle.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge and use of the Assessment, prevention, and management of pain; spontaneous awakening and breathing trials; Choice of analgesia and sedation; Delirium assessment; Early mobility and exercise; and Family engagement and empowerment (ABCDEF) bundle to implement the Pain, Agitation, Delirium guidelines. DESIGN: Worldwide online survey. SETTING: Intensive care. INTERVENTION: A cross-sectional online survey using the Delphi method was administered to intensivists worldwide, to assess the knowledge and use of all aspects of the ABCDEF bundle. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: There were 1,521 respondents from 47 countries, 57% had implemented the ABCDEF bundle, with varying degrees of compliance across continents. Most of the respondents (83%) used a scale to evaluate pain. Spontaneous awakening trials and spontaneous breathing trials are performed in 66% and 67% of the responder ICUs, respectively. Sedation scale was used in 89% of ICUs. Delirium monitoring was implemented in 70% of ICUs, but only 42% used a validated delirium tool. Likewise, early mobilization was "prescribed" by most, but 69% had no mobility team and 79% used no formal mobility scale. Only 36% of the respondents assessed ICU-acquired weakness. Family members were actively involved in 67% of ICUs; however, only 33% used dedicated staff to support families and only 35% reported that their unit was open 24 hr/d for family visits. CONCLUSIONS: The current implementation of the ABCDEF bundle varies across individual components and regions. We identified specific targets for quality improvement and adoption of the ABCDEF bundle. Our data reflect a significant but incomplete shift toward patient- and family-centered ICU care in accordance with the Pain, Agitation, Delirium guidelines.

The role of ultrasound guidance for vascular access.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Ultrasound-guided cannulation of the internal jugular vein has become a standard practice over recent years. Despite known benefits, ultrasound is less frequently used for other vascular applications probably because these are technically demanding and require more experience. The authors of this review focus on pitfalls of ultrasound guidance: most important practical aspects as well as nonroutine vascular applications are discussed. RECENT FINDINGS: Ultrasound guidance increases the first-pass and overall success rates and reduces the risk of complications of central venous catheterization through the subclavian and femoral routes, as well as arterial and difficult peripheral venous access. Ultrasound is also useful to detect catheter malposition and complications. Technical improvements and new modifications of old ultrasound-guided techniques may result in better outcomes. SUMMARY: Growing evidence suggests that routine utilization of ultrasound guidance is beneficial for all types of vascular access. The presence of a skilled operator and proper technique are, however, required to achieve success and avoid complications.

[Ultrasound-guided central venous access in patients with uncorrected coagulopathy]. / Ultrahangvezérelt centrálisvéna-biztosítás korrigálatlan coagulopathiában.

INTRODUCTION: Correction of coagulopathy prior to central venous catheterization is a standard practice. Before ultrasound-guided procedures, routine correction of coagulopathy is controversial as mechanical complications are rare. AIM: To evaluate the safety of ultrasound-guided central venous access in critically ill patients with coagulopathy. METHOD: In this retrospective study the authors included all ultrasound-guided central venous catheterizations performed in their Intensive Care Unit between February 2011 and January 2013. They defined coagulopathy as INR or APTT ratio above 1.5, platelet count below 100 G/l, and anticoagulation or clopidogrel therapy. Data obtained from ultrasound register and patient records were used. RESULTS: 310 ultrasound-guided central venous catheterizations were performed. Coagulopathy was observed in 134 cases (43.2%) and corrected in 10 cases prior to catheterization. There were no bleeding complications (complication rate in uncorrected coagulopathy: 0%, 95% confidence interval: 0-3.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Coagulopathy is common in critically ill patients, but its routine correction prior to ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization seems unnecessary.

[Outbreak of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in a surgical intensive care unit]. / Vancomycinrezisztens Enterococcusok megjelenése sebészeti intenzív osztályon.

INTRODUCTION: Enterococci have increasing importance in intensive care units, and vancomycin-resistant strains express a new challenge. AIM: The aim of the authors was to present their findings obtained from the first vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreak occurred in 2013 at the Intensive Care Unit of the 1st Department of Surgery, Semmelweis University. METHOD: This was a case-control study of patients who had Enterococci species isolated from their microbiological samples between January 1 and June 30, 2013. Changes of Enterococcal incidence and consequences of vancomycin-resistance in patient outcome were analyzed. Demographic data, hospital length of stay and mortality data were also collected. RESULTS: Enterococci were isolated from 114 patients and 14 of them had vancomycin-resistant strains. The incidence of Enterococcal strains was not different in the periods before and after the outbreak of the first vancomycin-resistant Enterococci. Patients with vancomycin-resistant Enterococci had significantly higher mortality rate than those with vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus (42.9% vs 30.0%, p = 0.005); however, length of stay was not significantly different. Co-morbidities and emergency surgery were significantly higher in patients who had vancomycin-resistant Enterococci. CONCLUSIONS: The higher mortality observed in patients with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus infections highlights the importance of prevention and appropriate infection control, however, the direct relationship of vancomycin-resistance and increased mortality is questionable.

Surveillance, control and management of infections in intensive care units in Southern Europe, Turkey and Iran--a prospective multicenter point prevalence study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the features of intensive care units (ICUs), their antimicrobial resistance patterns, infection control policies, and distribution of infectious diseases from central Europe to Mid-West Asia. METHODS: A cross-sectional point prevalence study was performed in 88 ICUs from 12 countries. Characteristics of ICUs, patient and antibiotic therapy data were collected with a standard form by infectious diseases specialists. RESULTS: Out of 749, 305 patients at least with one infectious disease were assessed and 254 patients were reported to have coexistent medical problems. When primary infectious diseases diagnoses of the patients were evaluated, 69 had community-acquired, 61 had healthcare-associated, and 176 had hospital-acquired infections. Pneumonia was the most frequent ICU infection seen in half of the patients. Distribution of frequent pathogens was as follows: Enteric Gram-negatives (n = 62, 28.8%), Acinetobacter spp. (n = 47, 21.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 29, 13.5%). Multidrug resistance profiles of the infecting microorganisms seem to have a uniform pattern throughout Southern Europe and Turkey. On the other hand, active and device-associated infection surveillance was performed in Turkey more than Iran and Southeastern Europe (p < 0.05). However, designing antibiotic treatment according to culture results was highest in Southeastern Europe (p < 0.05). The most frequently used antibiotics were carbapenems (n = 92, 30.2%), followed by anti-gram positive agents (vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid, daptomycin, and tigecycline; n = 79, 25.9%), beta-lactam/beta lactamase inhibitors (n = 78, 25.6%), and extended-spectrum cephalosporins (n = 73, 23.9%). CONCLUSION: ICU features appears to have similar characteristics from the infectious diseases perspective, although variability seems to exist in this large geographical area.

[Peripheral venous access with ultrasound guidance]. / Ultrahangvezérelt perifériás vénabiztosítás.

Peripheral venous cannulation is a routine procedure. The method is usually easy, however, occasionally it may prove to be difficult or even impossible to perform. Ultrasound can visualize deep veins that are undetectable by palpation and it makes possible to cannulate these veins under direct visual control. Authors routinely use ultrasound for difficult peripheral venous access. In this report they present 3 cases and discuss the practical aspects of ultrasound-guided peripheral venous access. Venous circulation of the arm is briefly reviewed, and ultrasound guidance techniques are discussed with regards to sterility aspects. Furthermore, authors describe a new technique wich they use efficiently for cannulating patients with poor peripheral venous access.

[Improving patient safety in perioperative care for major surgeries]. / A betegbiztonság javításának lehetoségei nagy sebészeti mutétek perioperatív szakában.

The Helsinki Declaration was created and signed by the European Board of Anaesthesiology (EBA) and the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA). It was initiated in June 2010, and it implies a European consensus on those medical practices which improve patient safety and provide higher quality perioperative care. Authors focus on four elements of this initiative, which can be easily implemented, and provide almost instant benefit: use of preoperative checklist, prevention of perioperative infections, goal-directed fluid therapy and perioperative nutrition. The literature review emphasizes that well organized perioperative care plays the most important role in improving patient safety.

Characteristics and determinants of outcome of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections in intensive care units: the EUROBACT International Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: The recent increase in drug-resistant micro-organisms complicates the management of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections (HA-BSIs). We investigated the epidemiology of HA-BSI and evaluated the impact of drug resistance on outcomes of critically ill patients, controlling for patient characteristics and infection management. METHODS: A prospective, multicentre non-representative cohort study was conducted in 162 intensive care units (ICUs) in 24 countries. RESULTS: We included 1,156 patients [mean ± standard deviation (SD) age, 59.5 ± 17.7 years; 65 % males; mean ± SD Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II score, 50 ± 17] with HA-BSIs, of which 76 % were ICU-acquired. Median time to diagnosis was 14 [interquartile range (IQR), 7-26] days after hospital admission. Polymicrobial infections accounted for 12 % of cases. Among monomicrobial infections, 58.3 % were gram-negative, 32.8 % gram-positive, 7.8 % fungal and 1.2 % due to strict anaerobes. Overall, 629 (47.8 %) isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR), including 270 (20.5 %) extensively resistant (XDR), and 5 (0.4 %) pan-drug-resistant (PDR). Micro-organism distribution and MDR occurrence varied significantly (p < 0.001) by country. The 28-day all-cause fatality rate was 36 %. In the multivariable model including micro-organism, patient and centre variables, independent predictors of 28-day mortality included MDR isolate [odds ratio (OR), 1.49; 95 % confidence interval (95 %CI), 1.07-2.06], uncontrolled infection source (OR, 5.86; 95 %CI, 2.5-13.9) and timing to adequate treatment (before day 6 since blood culture collection versus never, OR, 0.38; 95 %CI, 0.23-0.63; since day 6 versus never, OR, 0.20; 95 %CI, 0.08-0.47). CONCLUSIONS: MDR and XDR bacteria (especially gram-negative) are common in HA-BSIs in critically ill patients and are associated with increased 28-day mortality. Intensified efforts to prevent HA-BSIs and to optimize their management through adequate source control and antibiotic therapy are needed to improve outcomes.

[Changes in the incidence of multiresistant pathogens and its consequences in the intensive care unit]. / Multirezisztens kórokozók gyakoriságának változása és ennek vonatkozásai az intenzív osztályon.

UNLABELLED: Incidence of nosocomial infections and antibiotics resistance in intensive care units is increasing worldwide. Blood-stream infections of Gram-negative non-fermentive bacteria are associated with higher mortality. AIM AND METHODS: The aim of this study was to compare the antibiotic sensitivity of nosocomial blood-stream infections between years 2008-2010. RESULTS: There was no difference in the sensitivity of methycillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended-spectrum beta lactamase producing Klebsiella spp. and Escherichia coli infections between the two years examined. Antibiotic resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas infections showed a marked increase in 2010 when compared to that found in 2008: there was no multiresistant Acinetobacter infection in samples obtained in 2008, but all these infections were found to be sensitive only to colistin in samples investigated in 2010. Sensitivity of Pseudomonas infections to carbapenems and piperacillin/tazobactam decreased significantly during this time. In addition, the authors found that the mortality of multiresistant Gram-negative blood-stream infections was higher compared to that caused by non-multiresistant bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: These results emphasize the importance of infection control, adequate dosing and timing of antibiotics, and an appropriate number of nurses in intensive care unit.

Intensive care reimbursement practices: results from the ICUFUND survey.

OBJECTIVE: To assess patterns of intensive care reimbursement practices. METHODS: A detailed questionnaire about basic intensive care unit (ICU) characteristics and ICU reimbursement practices was created, and then members of the European Society of Intensive Care (ESICM) were asked by e-mail to participate in the survey and complete the web-based questionnaire. RESULTS: There were a total of 447 responses analyzed. Of respondents, 51.5% stated that their ICU received detailed financial information; however, only 15.4% of respondents could identify each cost item for each patient. A majority of respondents (77.6%) stated that their unit's reimbursement system was included in the hospital reimbursement. ICU reimbursement systems were most commonly based on previous year's ICU expenditure (51.0%) and diagnosis-related group weights (36%). Selecting European respondents (n = 306) showed that supplying detailed financial information makes ICU doctors significantly more satisfied (p = 0.019) with their reimbursement system. Regarding ICU funding elements, the most satisfied with their ICU reimbursement system were those respondents from ICUs where nursing workload score was used (p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Our result indicates that ICU physicians who receive detailed financial information about their units are more satisfied with their reimbursement system than those not receiving this information. Nursing workload score may have advantage over other forms of reimbursement practices. ICU physicians would like to be more involved in their unit's financial aspects and would prefer separate funding from hospital.