Research and publications

The Monash Health Intensive Care research team is governed by the Monash Health Intensive Care multidisciplinary Research Network Committee. Led by Professor Yahya Shehabi, the Committee provides strategic oversight for research activities to ensure the timely and successful conclusion of clinical trials.

The research team has extensive experience in running and managing multicentre, large-scale international trials. Our mission is to drive evidence-based practice through research and knowledge. Many of our trials are funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Our researchers are internationally recognised for their authority as clinical trialists and key opinion leaders in many fields, including ICU sedation, delirium, physical rehabilitation, kidney injury prevention and sepsis management.

Current research studies

The Monash Health ICU Network is currently conducting many clinical trials that are initiated, designed and led by Monash Health Investigators. In addition, we actively participate in trials supported and endorsed by the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group (ANZICS CTG) and sponsored by industry.

We are currently running the following clinical trials at our Monash Health ICUs:

1. SPICE IV; Led by Monash Chief Investigator, comparing dexmedetomidine vs placebo in ventilated critically patients over 65 years old. N=35,000*
2. ALBICS-AKI; Led by Monash Chief Investigator, comparing albumin 20% vs standard care in prevention of acute kidney injury (AKI) in cardiac surgery. N=630
3. PRACS; Led by Monash Chief Investigator, comparing pregabalin added to standard care in cardiac surgery. N=600
4. DECIDE; Co-led by Monash Chief Investigator, a collaborative trial with ANZCA Clinical Trials Network comparing dexmedetomidine vs placebo in cardiac surgery patient over 65 years old. N=1,100. This trial will commence in mid-2024.
5. PORTHOS; Collaborative ANZICS CTG trial comparing angiotensin II vs noradrenaline in cardiac surgery. N=470. This trial will commence in May 2024.
6. SODABic; collaborative ANZICS CTG trial on the use of NaBicarb in metabolic acidosis. N=500
7. MegaROX; A collaborative trial with ANZICS CTG comparing restrictive vs liberal oxygen therapy in unplanned ICU admissions. N=40,000
8. LIBERATE; an industry-led trial investigating the role of external abdominal stimulation vs 0 stimulation on the time to extubation in mechanically ventilated ICU patients. N=460
9. InDEX; A collaborative trial with McMaster University investigating the role of dexmedetomidine in non-Invasive ventilation vs placebo. N=100

*N= refers to the number of patients recruited to participate in the clinical trial

Publications and resources

Our team published more than 60 peer reviewed articles in 2023.

For more information on our publications, search on Google Scholar or PubMed for key words: sedation, delirium, physical rehabilitation, kidney injury prevention and sepsis management.

Contact

To contact the research team, please email ICU Research Committee Secretary Alice Li: mozhu.li@monash.edu.