Choosing Wisely recommendations for care in the intensive care unit
Official title: WIse CHoices in the Intensive Care Unit, a Cluster Randomized Registry Based Clinical Trial
Run by Karolinska Institutet · NCT07013175 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try the Choosing Wisely approach in adult ICU patients in Sweden to see if using fewer unnecessary tests and interventions is safe.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 10000 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Karolinska Institutet Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Stockholm and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 3, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | December 2, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07013175 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18 years or older who are treated in participating Swedish intensive care units are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients under 18 years old, and people cared for outside the participating Swedish ICUs, are not eligible and would not benefit from participating.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a multicenter interventional implementation of a Choosing Wisely protocol across Swedish intensive care units led by Karolinska Institutet. Adult patients (18+) admitted to participating ICUs will be managed according to lists of tests and interventions to question, with clinicians prompted to avoid low-value testing where appropriate. The trial will track clinical outcomes (for example mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, need for dialysis, acute kidney injury, and length of stay), as well as use of diagnostic tests and related costs. The primary emphasis is on ensuring that reductions in testing do not produce harm to critically ill patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the effort could reduce unnecessary tests and interventions, lower costs, and reduce harms from iatrogenic treatments for ICU patients.
How similar studies have gone: Choosing Wisely initiatives have reduced low-value testing and costs in several healthcare settings and some ICU reports, but high-quality data on safety and patient outcomes specifically in ICU populations remain limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients 18 years or older, treated in Swedish ICU's Exclusion Criteria: * Patients under the age of 18 years
Where it's running
-
Karolinska University Hospital
Stockholm, Sweden Recruiting -
Karolinska Institutet
Stockholm, Sweden Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Max B Bell, MD, PhD — N32276 PMI/Karolinska
- Study coordinator: Max B Bell, MD, PhD
- Email: max.bell@regionstockholm.se
- Phone: +46708278533
Similar studies
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.