End-of-life decisions occur daily in intensive care units (ICUs) around the world, and these practices could change over time.

Objective

To determine the changes in end-of-life practices in European ICUs after 16 years.

Main Outcomes and Measures

End-of-life outcomes were classified into 5 mutually exclusive categories (withholding of life-prolonging therapy, withdrawing of life-prolonging therapy, active shortening of the dying process, failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR], brain death).

The primary outcome was whether patients received any treatment limitations (withholding or withdrawing of life-prolonging therapy or shortening of the dying process).

Outcomes were determined by senior intensivists.