Lung and Systemic Inflammation in the Critically Ill Patient

Inclusion Criteria

• •General:
• •Age \>18 years
• •Mechanically ventilated
• •\< 48 hours after admission to the Intensive Care Unit
• •Specific:
• •ARDS: acute (\< 1 week) respiratory failure, characterized by hypoxemia (PaO2/FiO2 \< 300 mmHg/40kPa), and bilateral infiltrates on x-ray or CT of thorax, that can not be explained by heart failure og overhydration.
• •OR
• •\- SIRS (two of the following): Temperature \> 38°C or \< 36°C, heart rate \> 90/min, respiratory frequency \> 20 or PaCO2 \< 4.2 kPa, leukocytosis (\> 12x10\^9/L) or leukopenia (\< 4x10\^9/L)
• •OR
• •ARDS + SIRS