The Scandinavian Critical Care Trials Group (SCCTG) is a part of the Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine (SSAI) and aims to provide a network for Scandinavian research in intensive care medicine. Membership of the SCCTG is free and open to all researchers interested in intensive care and related disciplines. The working format of the SCCTG is transparent and independent of commercial interests. An advisory board is formed based on suggestions from an election committee for three year periods. The advisory board consists of five members including one chairman and one secretary. Preferably, all Scandinavian countries should have representatives in the advisory board. The main tasks for the advisory board are to organise the annual SCCTG meetings and to review and assist the presentation of all proposed research protocols.

The SCCTG meetings are usually held in the spring. The venue alternates between the Scandinavian countries. The meetings span over two days and comprise three sessions. The session on ongoing trials summarises current activity in the trials group. The educational session is organised to include distinguished lecturers within specific fields from Europe, Scandinavia and the respective organising country. The business session deals with submitted and ongoing research protocols. Protocol discussions are structured with a chairman and presenter(s).

The present advisory board consist of

Anders Perner (DEN), chairman, Anne Berit Guttormsen (NOR), Gudmundur Klemenzon (ICE), Sari Karlsson (FIN), Niklas Nielsen (SWE), secretary

The last meeting was held in Lund May 31st-June 1st 2012.

SCCTG publications:

Holst LB et al. Transfusion requirements in septic shock (TRISS) trial – comparing the effects and safety of liberal versus restrictive red blood cell transfusion in septic shock patients in the ICU: protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 2013, 14:150 ;http://www.trialsjournal.com/content/14/1/150

Oldner A et al. Survey on vasopressor and inotropic drug therapy in Scandinavian intensive care units. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2003;47:693

P. Guldbrand et al. Survey of routines for sedation of patients on controlled ventilation in Nordic intensive care units. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2004;48:944

Gullberg et al. Immediate and 5-year cumulative outcome after paediatric intensive care in Sweden. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2008;52:1086

A Perner et al. Preferences for colloid use in Scandinavian intensive care units. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2008;52:750

Nielsen N et al. Outcome, timing and adverse events in therapeutic hypothermia after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2009;53:926

A Perner et al. Comparing the effect of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 with balanced crystalloid solution on mortality and kidney failure in patients with severe sepsis (6S – Scandinavian Starch for Severe Sepsis/Septic Shock trial): Study protocol, design and rationale for a double-blinded, randomised clinical trial. Trials 2011; 12: 24

J Wernerman et al. Scandinavian glutamine trial: a pragmatic multi-centre randomised clinical trial of intensive care unit patients. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2011;55:812

Nielsen et al. Target Temperature Management after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest–a randomized, parallel-group, assessor-blinded clinical trial–rationale and design. Am Heart J. 2012; 163(4):541-8

A. Perner et al. Hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.42 versus Ringer’s acetate in severe sepsis. New Engl J of Med 2012; 367: 124-34.