Part I: Minimum Quality Threshold in Preclinical Sepsis Studies (MQTiPSS) for Study Design and Humane Modeling Endpoints

Preclinical septic shock research: why we need an animal ICU

Animal experiments are widely used in preclinical medical research with the goal of disease modeling and exploration of novel therapeutic approaches. In the context of sepsis and septic shock, the translation into clinical practice has been disappointing. Classical animal models of septic shock usually involve one-sex-one-age animal models, mostly in mice or rats, contrasting with the heterogeneous population of septic shock patients. Many other factors limit the reliability of preclinical models and may contribute to preclinical research failure in critical care, including the host specificity of several pathogens, the fact that laboratory animals are raised in pathogen-free facilities and that organ support techniques are either absent or minimal. Advanced animal models have been developed with the aim of improving the clinical translatability of experimental findings. So-called animal ICUs refer to the preclinical investigation of adult or even aged animals of either sex, using—in case of rats and mice—miniaturized equipment allowing for reproducing an ICU environment at a small animal scale and integrating chronic comorbidities to more closely reflect the clinical conditions studied. Strength and limitations of preclinical animal models designed to decipher the mechanisms involved in septic cardiomyopathy are discussed. This article reviews the current status and the challenges of setting up an animal ICU.

Improving Reproducibility and Transparency in Shock: the Arrive Guidelines Need Better Implementation and Enforcement

Reporting standards for animal research in Shock have not improved since Shock Society endorsed the ARRIVE guidelines in 2012. Particularly troubling is the omission of key information describing methodological quality and animal welfare. Both investigators and journal reviewers are strongly encouraged to actively consult the checklist to improve manuscript quality, and ensure that Shock upholds the highest standards of research quality and the humane treatment of animals.

Minimum Quality Threshold in Pre-Clinical Sepsis Studies (MQTiPSS): an international expert consensus initiative for improvement of animal modeling in sepsis

Purpose

Pre-clinical animal studies precede the majority of clinical trials. While the clinical sepsis definitions and recommended treatments are regularly updated, a systematic review of pre-clinical models of sepsis has not been done and clear modeling guidelines are lacking. To address this deficit, a Wiggers-Bernard Conference on pre-clinical sepsis modeling was held in Vienna in May, 2017. The conference goal was to identify limitations of pre-clinical sepsis models and to propose a set of guidelines, defined as the “Minimum Quality Threshold in Pre-Clinical Sepsis Studies” (MQTiPSS), to enhance translational value of these models.

Methods

31 experts from 13 countries participated and were divided into 6 thematic Working Groups (WG): (1) Study Design, (2) Humane modeling, (3) Infection types, (4) Organ failure/dysfunction, (5) Fluid resuscitation and (6) Antimicrobial therapy endpoints. As basis for the MQTiPSS discussions, the participants conducted a literature review of the 260 most highly cited scientific articles on sepsis models (2002–2013).

Results

Overall, the participants reached consensus on 29 points; 20 at “recommendation” (R) and 9 at “consideration” (C) strength. This Executive Summary provides a synopsis of the MQTiPSS consensus (Tables 1, 2 and 3).

Conclusions

We believe that these recommendations and considerations will serve to bring a level of standardization to pre-clinical models of sepsis and ultimately improve translation of pre-clinical findings. These guideline points are proposed as “best practices” that should be implemented for animal sepsis models. In order to encourage its wide dissemination, this article is freely accessible in Shock, Infection and Intensive Care Medicine Experimental.

Minimum Quality Threshold in Pre-Clinical Sepsis Studies (MQTiPSS): An International Expert Consensus Initiative for Improvement of Animal Modeling in Sepsis

Preclinical animal studies precede the majority of clinical trials. While the clinical definitions of sepsis and recommended treatments are regularly updated, a systematic review of preclinical models of sepsis has not been done and clear modeling guidelines are lacking. To address this deficit, a Wiggers-Bernard Conference on preclinical sepsis modeling was held in Vienna in May, 2017. The goal of the conference was to identify limitations of preclinical sepsis models and to propose a set of guidelines, defined as the "Minimum Quality Threshold in Preclinical Sepsis Studies" (MQTiPSS), to enhance translational value of these models. A total of 31 experts from 13 countries participated and were divided into six thematic Working Groups: Study Design, Humane modeling, Infection types, Organ failure/dysfunction, Fluid resuscitation, and Antimicrobial therapy endpoints. As basis for the MQTiPSS discussions, the participants conducted a literature review of the 260 most highly cited scientific articles on sepsis models (2002-2013). Overall, the participants reached consensus on 29 points; 20 at "recommendation" and nine at "consideration" strength. This Executive Summary provides a synopsis of the MQTiPSS consensus. We believe that these recommendations and considerations will serve to bring a level of standardization to preclinical models of sepsis and ultimately improve translation of preclinical findings. These guideline points are proposed as "best practices" for animal models of sepsis that should be implemented. To encourage its wide dissemination, this article is freely accessible on the Intensive Care Medicine Experimental and Infection journal websites. In order to encourage its wide dissemination, this article is freely accessible in Shock, Infection, and Intensive Care Medicine Experimental.

Minimum quality threshold in pre-clinical sepsis studies (MQTiPSS): an international expert consensus initiative for improvement of animal modeling in sepsis

Background

Pre-clinical animal studies precede the majority of clinical trials. While the clinical definitions of sepsis and recommended treatments are regularly updated, a systematic review of pre-clinical models of sepsis has not been done and clear modeling guidelines are lacking.

Objective

To address this deficit, a Wiggers-Bernard Conference on pre-clinical sepsis modeling was held in Vienna in May 2017. The goal of the conference was to identify limitations of pre-clinical sepsis models and to propose a set of guidelines, defined as the “Minimum Quality Threshold in Pre-Clinical Sepsis Studies” (MQTiPSS), to enhance translational value of these models.

Methods

A total of 31 experts from 13 countries participated and were divided into 6 thematic working groups (WG): (1) study design, (2) humane modeling, (3) infection types, (4) organ failure/dysfunction, (5) fluid resuscitation, and (6) antimicrobial therapy endpoints. As basis for the MQTiPSS discussions, the participants conducted a literature review of the 260 most highly cited scientific articles on sepsis models (2002–2013).

Results

Overall, the participants reached consensus on 29 points; 20 at “recommendation” (R) and 9 at “consideration” (C) strength. This executive summary provides a synopsis of the MQTiPSS consensus (Tables 1, 2, and 3). Detailed commentaries to all Rs and Cs are simultaneously published in three separate full-length papers.

Conclusions

We believe that these recommendations and considerations will serve to bring a level of standardization to pre-clinical models of sepsis and ultimately improve translation of pre-clinical findings. These guideline points are proposed as “best practices” for animal models of sepsis that should be implemented. In order to encourage its wide dissemination, this article is freely accessible in Shock, Infection and Intensive Care Medicine Experimental.