Do advance directives actually guide ICU care? a 12-year hospital review aims to find out.
NCT ID NCT04348318
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study examines how often advance directives—written instructions about a person's medical wishes—are used and followed in the intensive care unit (ICU). Researchers will review the digital medical records of about 2,000 adult patients treated in the ICU at a Swiss hospital between 2011 and 2023. They will compare outcomes like survival and recovery between patients who had an advance directive and those who did not, to see if these documents make a difference in care.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could help hospitals better respect patients' end-of-life wishes and improve care for those unable to make decisions.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study that looks back at medical records, so it cannot prove cause and effect. Results may not apply to other hospitals or countries.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Clinic for Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Basel
RECRUITINGBasel, 4031, Switzerland
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Kantonsspital Aarau
RECRUITINGAarau, Switzerland