Deciphering why some patients stay a long time in the ICU using detailed clinical profiling

UP STUDY - Decipher Persistent Critical Illness Through in Deep Clinical Phenotyping.

This study will try to identify clinical patterns in adults who stay in the ICU five days or longer to better understand persistent critical illness.

Quick facts

• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 7000 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Lisbon Academic Medical Center - Centro Académico de Medicina de Lisboa (network)
• Locations: 7 sites (Lisbon, Lisbon District and 6 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT07510776 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is an observational, multi-center study enrolling adults (18+) with an ICU length of stay of five days or more to perform deep clinical phenotyping of persistent critical illness. Investigators will collect detailed data on organ support (mechanical ventilation, vasopressors), infections, medications (including corticosteroids and sedatives), mobility, delirium, laboratory results, and clinical outcomes. No experimental treatments are given; data are used to define clinical subgroups and link early risk factors to recovery trajectories. The study is conducted across several hospitals in the Lisbon district to capture real-world variability in care and outcomes.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults aged 18 or older who have been in the ICU for at least five consecutive days are the intended participants.

Not a fit: Patients with ICU stays under five days, those who die early in their ICU course, or those discharged early due to bed shortages are unlikely to be included or to benefit directly from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help clinicians predict who is likely to develop persistent critical illness and tailor care or follow-up to improve recovery.

How similar studies have performed: Previous observational studies have linked sepsis and other factors to prolonged ICU stays, but comprehensive deep clinical phenotyping to define persistent critical illness subgroups is still relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adult patients aged 18 years or older;
* ICU length of stay equal to or greater than 5 days.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with an ICU stay \< 5 days;
* Patients discharged from the ICU early due to lack of ward availability, rather than clinical recovery;
* Patients who do not survive the early phase of critical illness (i.e., early ICU deaths).

Where this trial is running

Lisbon, Lisbon District and 6 other locations

• Centro Hospitalar de São João / ULS São João — Lisbon, Lisbon District, Portugal (RECRUITING)
• Hospital de Vila Franca de Xira / ULS Estuário do Tejo — Lisbon, Lisbon District, Portugal (RECRUITING)
• Hospital Garcia de Orta / ULS Almada-Seixal — Lisbon, Lisbon District, Portugal (RECRUITING)
• Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca / ULS Amadora -Sintra — Lisbon, Lisbon District, Portugal (RECRUITING)
• Hospital Santa Maria / ULS Santa Maria — Lisbon, Lisbon District, Portugal (RECRUITING)
• Hospital São Francisco Xavier / Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental — Lisbon, Lisbon District, Portugal (RECRUITING)
• Hospital de VIla Nova de Gaia-Espinho / ULS Gaia e Espinho — Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto District, Portugal (NOT_YET_RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Susana Fernandes, MD PhD — Lisbon School of Medicine
• Study coordinator: Susana Fernandes, MD PhD.

Conditions: Critical Illness, Recovery Outcomes, Critical Care, Intensive Care, Critical Care, Critical Care Medicine, Persistant Critical Illness, Critical care