Research clusters and projects at the Division of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care

Research cluster ICU Metabolism

The research cluster ICU metabolism focuses on metabolic and nutritional problems in the critically ill patient undergoing major surgery and intensive care. The research group in on the edge of basic and clinical research and in that sense is translational in its approach. The group consists of basic scientist, academic clinicians and nurses. In addition it has a wide international network of collaborators. A few of the major clinical question we address in our research are:

  • Where do the high lactate levels during sepsis come from and are they always bad?
  • Where does all the albumin go during disease?
  • What are the mechanisms leading to the loss of muscle during severe disease and what are the systemic signals regulating this?
  • Can critically ill patients utilize nutritional proteins and for what?
  • Can we predict which patients will develop organ failure following a severe acute insult?
  • Why do some critically ill patients have low or high glutamine levels and why are these related to a worsened outcome?

More details on the different project can be found below or on our website: www.icu-metabolism.se.

Research cluster Periopeative medicine

Perioperative medicine (Sigrudur Kalman & Erzsebet Bartha)

Research cluster pedagogics / learning / patient safety

Aim: We study learning in a broad sense. Part of it is done within the framework of patient simulation where there is a close collaboration with the Center for Advanced Medical Simulation and Training (CAMST).

Description: By better understanding the conditions for, interactions during and effects of patient simulation, training can be developed, which ultimately leads to better knowledge and skills as well as developed approaches in team work and thus improved work environment and increased patient safety. Previous collaborations have involved team training in virtual worlds (Stanford University and Umeå University, principal financier Wallenberg Global Learning Network) and interprofessional training using patient simulation (Gothenburg and Linköping University, Swedish Research Council). In addition, we have collaborations with European researchers in psychology and behavioral science, as well as Agder University in Norway.

Through the link to teaching conducted at CLINTEC, we also have the opportunity to contribute to increased knowledge in learning and to develop pedagogy in medical basic and further education. The focus is on the areas of knowledge of anesthesia / intensive care within business integrated learning as well as professional development as part of the lifelong learning for all professions.

Main results / publications and collaborators: We have positive experiences of student participation in research, from project work to postgraduate education. Ongoing projects include:

  • Interprofessional training using visualization (Karolinska Institutet, University of Gothenburg and Linköping, Li Felländer-Tsai, Johan Creutzfeldt)
  • Stress in patient simulation - threat or opportunity? (Karolinska Institutet, Johan Creutzfeldt, Cecilia Escher and Mini Ruiz)
  • Patient participation in the team (Karolinska Institutet, Umeå University and Center for Nursing Medicine, Hanna Dubois and Johan Creutzfeldt)
  • Simulation for teamwork at a distance (Karolinska Institutet, Umeå University and Glesbygdmedical Center, Hanna Dubois and Johan Creutzfeldt)
  • Feedback to promote professionalism (Karolinska Institutet, Johan Creutzfeldt, Lars Henningsohn)
  • Tools for teams (Several European institutions, Cecilia Escher, Lisbet Meurling and Johan Creutzfeldt)
  • Interprofessional simulator-based collaboration training for authentic operations teams. (Karolinska Hospital, Lisbet Meurling, Cecilia Escher)
  • Intensive care during COVID 19 – stress, collaboration and safety climate

Funding: Wallenberg Global Learning Network; Vetenskapsrådet; Familjen Kamprad stiftelsen

OR
Content reviewer:
Åsa Catapano
23-05-2023