ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT06605144CEPECUpdated Nov 5, 2026

Canadian Critical Care Comparative Effectiveness Platform

A Phase 3 interventional study of 1- Vasopressor - Mean arterial pressure 56-60 and 2- Vasopressor - Mean arterial pressure 61-65 in Intensive Care Unit ICU, Vasopressor and Platelet, sponsored by Université de Sherbrooke. Recruiting at 13 sites in 3 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-05.

Sponsored by Université de Sherbrooke · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Mar 2025; still recruiting 1 year 7 months later.
Updated Nov 5, 2026Eligibility revisedPrimary outcomes revised+1 moreGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
5,500
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The Canadian Critical Care Comparative Effectiveness Platform(e) d'Évaluation Clinique Comparée en soins Critiques (CEPEC) is an international multi-centered randomized adaptive platform clinical trial. CEPEC will evaluate supportive care interventions that are used routinely in intensive care units throughout the world.

Read the detailed description

Many supportive therapies used daily in the ICU setting remain under-studied despite being resource-intensive. CEPEC aims to incorporate domains evaluating vasopressors and inotropes, nutrition, transfusions, sedation, correction of electrolyte deficits, sedation and analgesia, airway management, end-of-life care practices and other interventions.

Domains refer to categories of patient care for which interventions are being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) within the platform.

VASOPRESSOR DOMAIN The investigators will investigate whether vasoactive medications should be used differently for different subgroups of patients who are in a state of cardiovascular shock (i.e. heterogeneity of treatment effects). Vasoactive medications are common in critically ill patients, and have considerable patient, hospital, and health system resource impact, but their use remains poorly supported by scientific evidence.

PLATELET DOMAIN Platelet transfusions are commonly prescribed to critically ill patients and have considerable patient, hospital, and health system resource impact, but remain poorly supported by scientific evidence. We propose to join a multicentre randomized clinical trial (T4P, ISRCTN79371664) addressing the optimal use of platelet transfusions for critically ill patients with thrombocytopenia in advance of invasive procedures. A multinational collaboration will ensure timely completion of this high-impact multicentre randomized clinical trial. The Canadian component of the T4P trial is embedded in the CEPEC platform as the Platelet Domain.

NUTRITION DOMAIN Most critically ill patients cannot eat normally and require a specialized method of feeding, called enteral nutrition. It is provided every hour around the clock. This differs from how we usually eat, with meals (boluses) divided over the day while we are awake. The goals of this study are to determine if a large study can be successfully done comparing nutrition given 3 times a day (boluses) compared to given in small amounts every hour (continuously).

INITIATIVES Initiatives are cross-cutting non-randomized studies nested within the platform that are relevant to all domains. Examples include a parallel observational study initiative, which aims to collect data about usual care and outcomes directly relevant to each domain. The goal is to describe the representativeness of domain results and to assess for protocol misalignment. Similarly, the living knowledge synthesis and health economics initiatives aim to generate meta-analyses and cost-effectiveness analyses alongside each trial conducted in the platform.

02

Conditions studied

  • Intensive Care Unit ICU
  • Vasopressor
  • Platelet
  • Nutrition

Keywords

  • ICU
  • Adaptive platform trial
  • Vasopressor
  • Platelet
  • Enteral nutrition
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Université de Sherbrooke is the lead sponsor of 295 studies on the registry; 65 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

The criteria were revised on the registry on Nov 5, 2026. See what changed

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

VASOPRESSOR DOMAIN There is no minimum age limit in the Vasopressor Domain.

Inclusion criteria:

  1. Ongoing vasopressor infusion to treat hypotension, or would be used to treat clinician-defined hypotension as part of usual care;
  2. MAP \<75 mmHg at any point;
  3. Patient expected to be in the ICU for >24 hours.

Exclusion criteria:

  1. Treating team does not have equipoise for at least two contiguous MAP target ranges in the CEPEC Vasopressor Domain;
  2. Acute traumatic brain injury (within 7 days or ongoing active treatment for elevated intracranial pressure);
  3. Acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (within 21 days);
  4. Acute spinal cord injury (within 7 days of injury or ongoing vasopressor therapy for suspected spinal cord ischemia);
  5. Lung, heart, liver, kidney transplant recipient (within 7 days);
  6. Patient expected to become an organ donor (Donor Neurologic Death - DND or Donation After Circulatory Death - DCD);
  7. More than 24 hours since meeting inclusion criteria in the ICU;
  8. Previously randomized into the CEPEC Vasopressor Domain or a confounding trial.

DOMAIN

Inclusion criteria:

  1. Adult patients (age ≥18 years) admitted to the ICU;
  2. Latest platelet count in this hospital admission \<50×109/L;
  3. Planned to undergo a specified low-moderate bleeding risk invasive procedure.

Exclusion criteria:

  1. Ongoing major hemorrhage requiring blood products and/or surgical/ radiological intervention;
  2. Intracranial hemorrhage within prior 72 hours;
  3. to platelet transfusion (e.g. thrombotic microangiopathies, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, recent history of immune thrombocytopaenia, congenital platelet function defects);
  4. Known advance decision of refusing blood/blood component transfusions;
  5. Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APML);
  6. Death perceived as imminent or admission for palliation;
  7. Previously randomized into the CEPEC Platelet Domain or the T4P Trial;
  8. Fulfilled all the inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria ≥72 hours.

NUTRITION DOMAIN

Inclusion criteria:

  1. Patient of ≥18 years of age;
  2. Patient is invasively mechanically ventilated (including endotracheal tube or tracheostomy);
  3. Orogastric/nasogastric tube in place; or have an in dwelling percutaneous gastric tube (with confirmed placement);
  4. Treating team has started or has the intention of providing enteral nutrition.

Exclusion criteria:

  1. Patient who has had gastrointestinal (GI) surgery in the last 3 months and deemed not ready to receive possible bolus nutrition;
  2. Bowel obstruction or ischemia; active;
  3. Has a post-pyloric small bowel feeding tube;
  4. Active GI bleeding;
  5. Patient who is chronically receiving enteral nutrition.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Platelets

Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
5,500 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Other
    Vasopressor

    Participants will receive vasopressor(s) and their mean arterial pressure will be titrated according to the group they are randomized to (group 1: 56-60 mmHg; group 2: 61-65 mmHg; group 3: 66-70 mmHg; group 4: 71-75 mmHg). Physicians will have the liberty of restricting the randomization to at least 2 contiguous ranges.

    Drug: 1- Vasopressor - Mean arterial pressure 56-60 · Drug: 2- Vasopressor - Mean arterial pressure 61-65 · Drug: 3- Vasopressor - Mean arterial pressure 66-70 · Drug: 4- Vasopressor - Mean arterial pressure 71-75

  • Other
    Platelet

    Thrombocytopenic intensive care unit (ICU) patients (platelet count \<50×109/L) with a planned low-moderate bleeding-risk procedure will be randomized to one of five equally spaced platelet thresholds (less than 10 x 109/L, less than 20 x 109/L, less than 30 x 109/L, less than 40 x 109/L, less than 50 X 109/L) below which they will receive prophylactic platelet transfusions before any low-moderate bleeding-risk procedure occurring during the ICU episode up to ICU day 90. Once randomized, the clinical team will administer a platelet transfusion according to the assigned threshold and the most recent platelet count at the time of the planned procedure.

    Other: 1- Platelet less than 10 x 109/L · Other: 2- Platelet less than 20 x 109/L · Other: 3- Platelet less than 30 x 109/L · Other: 4- Platelet less than 40 x 109/L · Other: 5- Platelet less than 50 x 109/L

  • Other
    Nutrition

    The intervention is bolus feeding (given 3 times a day to meet nutritional targets) with formula type left to the discretion of the precribing team. With 2 hours between each "feed". The control is continuous feeding (over 24-hour period) with formula type left to the discretion of the prescribing team, which is the current standard of care.

    Other: Enteral nutrition - Boluses · Other: Enteral nutrition - Continuous

Interventions

  • Drug1- Vasopressor - Mean arterial pressure 56-60

    Vasopressor(s) will be titrated according to 56-60 range.

  • Drug2- Vasopressor - Mean arterial pressure 61-65

    Vasopressor(s) will be titrated according to 61-65 range.

  • Drug3- Vasopressor - Mean arterial pressure 66-70

    Vasopressor(s) will be titrated according to 66-70 range.

  • Drug4- Vasopressor - Mean arterial pressure 71-75

    Vasopressor(s) will be titrated according to 71-75 range.

  • Other1- Platelet less than 10 x 109/L

    Once randomized, the participant will receive a platelet transfusion if their most recent platelet count is less than 10 x 109/L at the time of the planned procedure.

  • Other2- Platelet less than 20 x 109/L

    Once randomized, the participant will receive a platelet transfusion if their most recent platelet count is less than 20 x 109/L at the time of the planned procedure.

  • Other3- Platelet less than 30 x 109/L

    Once randomized, the participant will receive a platelet transfusion if their most recent platelet count is less than 30 x 109/L at the time of the planned procedure.

  • Other4- Platelet less than 40 x 109/L

    Once randomized, the participant will receive a platelet transfusion if their most recent platelet count is less than 40 x 109/L at the time of the planned procedure.

  • Other5- Platelet less than 50 x 109/L

    Once randomized, the participant will receive a platelet transfusion if their most recent platelet count is less than 50 x 109/L at the time of the planned procedure.

  • OtherEnteral nutrition - Boluses

    Given 3 times a day.

  • OtherEnteral nutrition - Continuous

    Given over 24-hour period

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Vasopressor Domain - 30-day ordinal outcome

    Incorporate mortality, persistent organ dysfunction (POD) in the ICU, hospitalization, discharge to a location providing more health services than at the patient's baseline residence, and discharge to baseline level residence.

    Time frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30

  2. Platelet Domain - All cause mortality

    90-day all-cause mortality

    Time frame: 90 days

  3. Nutrition Domain - Recruitment rate

    Recruitment rate of 2 patients per site per month.

    Time frame: 1 year

Secondary outcomes

  1. Vasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - Each component of the 30-day ordinal primary outcome

    1. Mortality 2. POD in the ICU 3. Hospitalization 4. Discharge to a location providing more health services than at the patient's baseline residence 5. Discharge to baseline level residence.

    Time frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30

  2. Vasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - Days free of POD to day 30

    POD is defined as a vasopressor infusion, invasive mechanical ventilation, non-invasive ventilation, high-flow oxygen (delivered via nasal prongs or cannula by a specialized device, with a FiO2 ≥0.4 and at a flow rate ≥30L/min), or new renal replacement therapy.

    Time frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30

  3. Vasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - Hospital days up to day 30

    Time frame: Up to day 30

  4. Vasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - ICU days to day 30

    Time frame: Up to day 30

  5. Platelet Domain - Mortality at discharge from hospital

    Time frame: Discharge from hospital

  6. Platelet Domain - Mortality at 1 year

    Time frame: 1 year after randomization

  7. Platelet Domain - Bleeding outcomes in hospital (major and fatal bleeds)

    Time frame: During hospitalization

  8. Platelet Domain - Transfusion complications

    Transfusion-associated circulatory overload, transfusion-related acute lung injury, infections, anaphylaxis

    Time frame: During hospitalization

  9. Platelet Domain - Days alive and at home at day 90

    Time frame: 90 days

  10. Platelet Domain - Number of days without POD in the ICU

    Time frame: Up to day 90

  11. Platelet Domain - Health-related quality of life

    Evaluated using EQ-5D-5L questionnaire

    Time frame: 90 days

  12. Nutrition Domain - Diarrhea

    Defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) definition (3 or greater liquids stools/24 hours)

    Time frame: 24 hours

  13. Nutition Domain - Percentage of target nutritional intake

    \>80%

    Time frame: Over the course of the ICU stay up to day 30

  14. Nutrition Domain - Vomiting

    Vomiting 2 or more times in a 24-hour period

    Time frame: During ICU stay up to day 30

07

Study locations

11 of 13 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Timeline

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reached

Started Mar 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2029, 57 months after the start.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Sep 10, 2024
First posted
Sep 20, 2024
StartActual
Mar 23, 2025
Primary completionEst.
Dec 31, 2029
CompletionEst.
Jun 30, 2030
Last update
Nov 5, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Sites
2 sites added
Show 2 added (2 Canada)
  • Hamilton General Hospital · Hamilton, Canada
  • Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne · Longueuil, Canada
Nov 5, 2026
Eligibility
3 criteria edited
What changed in the criteria
  • EditedCritically ill patientsPatient of ≥18 years of age;
  • EditedArePatient is invasively mechanically ventilated (including endotracheal tube or tracheostomy);
  • EditedPatientsPatient who havehas had gastrointestinal (GI) surgery; in the last 3 months and deemed not ready to receive possible bolus nutrition;
Nov 5, 2026
Primary outcomes
1 edited
What changed in the outcomes
  • ChangedBefore Vasopressor Domain - Composite endpointNow Vasopressor Domain - 30-day ordinal outcomeTime frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30
Nov 5, 2026
Secondary outcomes
5 edited, 1 removed
What changed in the outcomes
  • EditedVasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - MortalityEach component of the 30-day ordinal primary outcomeTime frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30
  • EditedVasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - Persistent organ dysfunction (Days free of POD) in the ICU to day 30Time frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30
  • EditedVasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - Number ofHospital days without POD in the ICUup to day 30Time frame: Up to day 30
  • EditedVasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - Disposition at hospital dischargeICU days to day 30Time frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30 → Up to day 30
  • EditedVasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition DomainsDomain - Number of days without POD in the ICUTime frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30 → Up to day 90
  • RemovedPlatelet Domain - Number of days without persistent organ dysfunction in the ICUTime frame: Up to day 90
Nov 5, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Nov 5, 2026
    2 sites added
    Show 2 added (2 Canada)
    • Hamilton General Hospital · Hamilton, Canada
    • Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne · Longueuil, Canada
    Eligibility 3 criteria edited
    What changed in the criteria
    • EditedCritically ill patientsPatient of ≥18 years of age;
    • EditedArePatient is invasively mechanically ventilated (including endotracheal tube or tracheostomy);
    • EditedPatientsPatient who havehas had gastrointestinal (GI) surgery; in the last 3 months and deemed not ready to receive possible bolus nutrition;
    Primary outcomes 1 edited
    What changed in the outcomes
    • ChangedBefore Vasopressor Domain - Composite endpointNow Vasopressor Domain - 30-day ordinal outcomeTime frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30
    Secondary outcomes 5 edited, 1 removed
    What changed in the outcomes
    • EditedVasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - MortalityEach component of the 30-day ordinal primary outcomeTime frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30
    • EditedVasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - Persistent organ dysfunction (Days free of POD) in the ICU to day 30Time frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30
    • EditedVasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - Number ofHospital days without POD in the ICUup to day 30Time frame: Up to day 30
    • EditedVasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition Domains - Disposition at hospital dischargeICU days to day 30Time frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30 → Up to day 30
    • EditedVasopressor, Platelet and Nutrition DomainsDomain - Number of days without POD in the ICUTime frame: At hospital discharge up to day 30 → Up to day 90
    • RemovedPlatelet Domain - Number of days without persistent organ dysfunction in the ICUTime frame: Up to day 90
    + 2 other changes: verification date and description

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06605144
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Sep 20, 2024
Start date
Mar 23, 2025
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2029 (estimated)
Completion
Jun 30, 2030 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 5, 2026

Study contacts

Marie-Helene Masse, RRT, MSc
Contact
marie-helene.masse3@usherbrooke.ca
1-819-346-1110 ext. 14173
Francois Lamontagne, MD, MSc
principal investigator · Université de Sherbrooke
Neill Adhikari, MDCM, MSc
principal investigator · Sunnybrook Research Institute

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Interested in this study?

Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.

Contact study team

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion