UK pediatric critical care society research priorities revisited following the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

PurposeA research prioritisation exercise was undertaken by the UK Paediatric Critical Care Society Study Group in 2018. Since then, the COVID-19 pandemic occurred and several multi-centre studies have been, or are being, conducted to address topics prioritised by healthcare professionals and parents. We aimed to determine how these priorities had changed in five years and post COVID-19 pandemic and compare these to international PICU priorities.MethodsA modified three-round e-Delphi study was conducted in 2022 with surveys sent to all members of the Paediatric Critical Care Society. Following this, the top 20 topics were ranked and voted on using the Hanlon method in an online consensus webinar.Results247 research topics were submitted by 85 respondents in Round one. 135 of these were categorised into 12 domains and put forward into Round two, and were scored by 112 participants. 45 highest scoring topics were included in Round three and these were re-scored by 67 participants. Following this, the top 20 topics were voted on (using the Hanlon method) in an online consensus webinar in November 2022, to generate a top 10 list of priority research topics for pediatric critical care in 2023. The top research priorities related to complex decision-making in relation to withdrawing/withholding critical care, antimicrobial therapy and rapid diagnostics, intravenous fluid restriction, long-term outcomes, staffing and retention, implementation science and the role of artificial intelligence.ConclusionSome of the research priorities for pediatric critical care in the UK have changed over the last five years and there are similar priorities in other high-income countries with a potential for multi-national collaborations to address these key areas.