Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Jun 1.
Published in final edited form as: Crit Care Med. 2014 Jun;42(6):1455–1462. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000000227

Table 1.

Experimental Design

Control Arm 1st Experimental Arm 2nd Experimental Arm
Group Name Control Values Prognosis
Scenarios reviewed 10 10 10
Severity of illness in the 10 scenarios Vital signs and lab values consistent with a probability of in-hospital mortality ranging from 0.35 to 0.98as calculated using the MPMII-72† Same vital signs and lab values as control arm Same vital signs and lab values as control arm
Family statements about patient values described in scenario background information Mrs. X would not want to continue life-sustaining treatment if there was not a reasonable chance that she would eventually return to independent living in her own home. Mrs. X has always been a would receive help with her activities of daily living. Same as control
3-month functional prognosis required? No No Yes
Outcome measures Response to: “Would you bring up the possibility of withdrawing life support with Mrs. X’s family?” Same as control Same as control
†

MPMII-72 = Mortality Probability Model II-72 hours15,16