Canadian Critical Care Trials Group

The TRAIN trial found a liberal transfusion strategy (hemoglobin > 9 g/dL) reduced unfavorable neurological outcomes at 6 months in neurocritically ill adults with acute brain injury compared to a restrictive strategy (hemoglobin > 7 g/dL), with no effect on ICU/hospital stays, organ failure, or mortality.

In a randomized clinical trial with 797 adults, no significant differences were found between once-daily vs more frequent screening or pressure-supported vs T-piece SBTs for time to successful extubation. However, a significant interaction was identified: more frequent screening with pressure-supported SBTs increased the time to successful extubation, while once-daily screening with pressure-supported SBTs did not reduce this time. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings and understand their implications.

VITdALIZE-KIDS is a phase III, multicenter, double-blind RCT designed with CCCTG to assess vitamin D supplementation in PICU patients. The trial will recruit 766 patients from 11 Canadian centers, with randomization stratified by site. The primary outcome is HRQL at 28 ± 7 days post-intervention, measured by PedsQL™. A metabolomics sub-study will analyze blood and urine samples to understand the broader metabolic effects of vitamin D correction. Safety monitoring includes reporting adverse events and following Health Canada guidelines. The trial protocol adheres to SPIRIT guidelines and has received necessary ethical and regulatory approvals.