The United Kingdom Paediatric Critical Care Society Study Group: The 20-Year Journey Toward Pragmatic, Randomized Clinical Trials

Peters, Mark J.; Ramnarayan, Padmanabhan; Scholefield, Barnaby R.; Tume, Lyvonne N.; Tasker, Robert C.

Abstract

Over the past two decades, pediatric intensive care research networks have been formed across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia/New Zealand. The U.K. Paediatric Critical Care Society Study Group (PCCS-SG) has over a 20-year tradition of fostering collaborative research, leading to the design and successful conduct of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). To date, the PCCS-SG network has delivered 13 different multicenter RCTs, covering a spectrum of study designs, methodologies, and scale. Lessons from the early years have led PCCS-SG to now focus on the entire process needed for developing an RCT, starting from robust preparatory steps such as surveys, data analysis, and feasibility work through to a definitive RCT. Pilot RCTs have been an important part of this process as well. Facilitators of successful research have included the presence of a national registry to facilitate efficient data collection; close partnerships with established Clinical Trials Units to bring together clinicians, methodologists, statisticians, and trial managers; greater involvement of transport teams to recruit patients early in trials of time-sensitive interventions; and the funded infrastructure of clinical research staff within the National Health Service to integrate research within the clinical service. The informal nature of PCCS-SG has encouraged buy-in from clinicians. Greater international collaboration and development of embedded trial platforms to speed up the generation and dissemination of trial findings are two key future strategic goals for the PCCS-SG research network.

Citation

Peters, M. J., Ramnarayan, P., Scholefield, B. R., Tume, L. N., & Tasker, R. C. (2022). The United Kingdom Paediatric Critical Care Society Study Group: The 20-Year Journey Toward Pragmatic, Randomized Clinical Trials. Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 23(12), 1067-1075. https://doi.org/10.1097/pcc.0000000000003099

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Nov 3, 2022
• Publication Date: Nov 7, 2022
• Deposit Date: Dec 7, 2022
• Journal: Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
• Print ISSN: 1529-7535
• Electronic ISSN: 1947-3893
• Publisher: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 12
• Pages: 1067-1075
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/pcc.0000000000003099
• Keywords: Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine, Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health
• Publisher URL: http://doi.org/10.1097/PCC.0000000000003099
• Additional Information: Corporate Creators : United Kingdom Paediatric Critical Care Society Study Group (PCCS-SG)