INTCAR
(Userid and password required, please go to ”Become a member”)Welcome to
The INTERNATIONAL CARDIAC ARREST REGISTRY
The International Cardiac Arrest Network is a joint venture of the Hypothermia
Network (HN), the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) and the European Cardiac
Arrest Research Network. The mission of the Registry is to:
- Gain a better understanding of the process of care and outcomes
associated with cardiac arrest, which has traditionally been considered the
most devastating and least treatable form of brain injury.
- Promote the appropriate use of therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac
arrest through a continuous update of clinical outcomes and process-of-care
variables through a common worldwide registry.
- To identify key areas for future research in the treatment of cardiac
arrest.
Background
In 2002 two independent studies found that early treatment with induced
hypothermia reduces death and disability in victims of out-of-hospital cardiac
arrest (NEJM 2002 346(8): 549-556, 557-563). The importance of therapeutic
hypothermia is supported by the advisory statement from the International
Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), which was published in 2003 (Resuscitation
57 (2003) 231-235, Circulation, 2003; 108:118-121). Global adoption of
hypothermia as a standard of care for victims of this devastating condition has
been variable. In addition, important questions remain regarding the
appropriateness of this therapy for patients resuscitated from PEA or asystole,
or in-hospital arrest.
The International Cardiac Arrest Registry (INTCAR) is independent,
non-commercial, and devoted to the simple goal of improving outcomes of patients
resuscitated from pulseless cardiac arrest.
The International Cardiac Arrest registry also has an ambition to promote,
endorse, sponsor, and arrange meetings and workshops related to hypothermia and
cardiac arrest for educational and scientific purposes.
Organization of the International Cardiac Arrest Registry
The International Cardiac Arrest Registry is directed by two Steering Groups,
one European and one from North America. It is the responsibility of the
Steering groups to ensure the quality of the data entered into the registry, and
to supervise and direct all data queries, analyses, and publications. A formal
publication policy exists to allow all participating sites to directly
participate in the data analysis and publication process.
The European Steering Group consists of two members from each participating
country. The Group members elect the chairman from the Group. The North American
Steering Group is made up of the members of the Clinical Research Committee of
the Neurocritical Care Society.
The goal of the INTCAR is to survey the proves and care of outcomes of a large
global population of patients who have been successfully resuscitated from
cardiac arrest, regardless of whether or not they were treated with therpeutic
hypothermia.
To become a member of the INTCAR, you need to sign up and register your hospital
and your reporting ICU. You will then need to identify a principle investigator,
and indicate whether you are representing one or more ICUs in your hospital, or
your entire hospital. Participation means that you have made a commitment to
report ALL unconscious patients admitted to your ICU, ICU group, or hospital
with a primary diagnosis of cardiac arrest.
All data from registered patients must be submitted without personal
identification. Each reporting unit will receive a personal unit-number that,
through linkage to a serial number, will provide a unique identification number
to each registered patient. A local database, with personal identification,
should be kept at each reporting unit to enable future follow-up. The local
database is the property of each reporting unit, involving the same
confidentiality that applies to other medical records.
The information extracted from and compiled using the local database is
controlled entirely by the local reporting unit. Participation in
regional/national/international studies not linked to INTCAR is also decided by
the local reporting unit.
The reporting units together form the INTCAR. Future publications regarding the
use of hypothermia and outcome data from the Registry will be published in the
name of the Registry with participating units mentioned by name. All units
contributing to the Registry may analyse and publish common data from the
Registry, after approval from the Steering Groups.
Organization of the European Steering Group
Each reporting unit (ICU) will thereby have one vote to the Steering Group. You
may only vote for candidates from your own country. A three-year election period
is suggested for the Steering Group members, with the possibilty of re-election.
The Steering Group may recruit deputy members for specific tasks (with no vote),
but no more than one candidate from each participating country. The Steering
Group is responsible for the processing and presentation of all data submitted
from the EU to the Registry.
The Steering Group will meet at least annually.
Organization of the North American/NCS Steering Group
The North American SG of the INTCAR is made up of the member ship of the Clinical
Research Subcommittee of the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS). To join the
subcommittee, please contact Dr Jose Suarez at
jisuarez@bcm.tmc.edu
Clinical Trials Committee:
For questions regarding the INTCAR or this website, please contact Dr Niklas
Nielsen at niklas.nielsen@hypothermianetwork.com
INTCAR is supported by the Stig and Ragna Gorthon Foundation and the
Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. |
