Search

Background The correlation between the standardized resource use ratio (SRUR) and standardized hospital mortality ratio (SMR) for neurosurgical emergencies is not known. We studied SRUR and SMR and the factors affecting these in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Methods We extracted data of patients treated in six university hospitals in three countries (2015–2017). Resource use was measured as SRUR based on purchasing power parity-adjusted direct costs and either intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (costSRURlength of stay) or daily Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System scores (costSRURTherapeutic Intervention Scoring System). Five a priori defined variables reflecting differences in structure and organization between the ICUs were used as explanatory variables in bivariable models, separately for the included neurosurgical diseases. Results Out of 28,363 emergency patients treated in six ICUs, 6,162 patients (22%) were admitted with a neurosurgical emergency (41% nontraumatic ICH, 23% SAH, 13% multitrauma TBI, and 23% isolated TBI). The mean costs for neurosurgical admissions were higher than for nonneurosurgical admissions, and the neurosurgical admissions corresponded to 23.6–26.0% of all direct costs related to ICU emergency admissions. A higher physician-to-bed ratio was associated with lower SMRs in the nonneurosurgical admissions but not in the neurosurgical admissions. In patients with nontraumatic ICH, lower costSRURs were associated with higher SMRs. In the bivariable models, independent organization of an ICU was associated with lower costSRURs in patients with nontraumatic ICH and isolated/multitrauma TBI but with higher SMRs in patients with nontraumatic ICH. A higher physician-to-bed ratio was associated with higher costSRURs for patients with SAH. Larger units had higher SMRs for patients with nontraumatic ICH and isolated TBI. None of the ICU-related factors were associated with costSRURs in nonneurosurgical emergency admissions. Conclusions Neurosurgical emergencies constitute a major proportion of all emergency ICU admissions. A lower SRUR was associated with higher SMR in patients with nontraumatic ICH but not for the other diagnoses. Different organizational and structural factors seemed to affect resource use for the neurosurgical patients compared with nonneurosurgical patients. This emphasizes the importance of case-mix adjustment when benchmarking resource use and outcomes.

Additional file 1: Figure S1. Grading of pulmonary abnormalities in patients with history of COVID-19 pneumonitis.

Vertaisarvioitu. COVID-19-pandemia aiheutti merkittävää tehohoidon tarvetta keväällä 2020. Tilannekuvaa kokoamaan perustettiin tehohoidon koordinoiva toimisto, joka raportoi viranomaisille ajantasaista tietoa potilas- ja paikkamääristä koko maassa. Suurin tehohoidon kuormitus kohdistui HUS:n sairaaloihin. Teho-osastoilla hoidettiin yhteensä 227:ää COVID-19-potilasta, ja erillisiä tehohoitojaksoja kirjattiin 293. Suomessa COVID-19-potilaiden tehohoitokuolleisuus oli vähäistä, vain 15 %. Ikä ja krooniset sairaudet lisäsivät kuolleisuutta. Tehohoitojaksot olivat tavanomaisia tehohoitojaksoja pidempiä (14 vrk vs 3 vrk), ja 67 % potilaista tarvitsi hengityslaitehoitoa. Epidemian vaikeimmassa vaiheessa huhtikuun puolivälissä tehohoitokapasiteettia oli jo kasvatettu voimakkaasti, ja sen täyttöaste jäi alle puoleen.

Mitkä ovat käytössä olevat resurssit, miten ne saadaan riittämään ja kuinka hoito kohdennetaan mahdollisimman vaikuttavasti COVID-19-epidemian aikana? Tehohoitolääkärit vastaavat.

Background: Optimal hemodynamic goals in post-resuscitation patients are not clear. Previous studies have reported an association between lower heart rate and good outcome in patients receiving targeted temperature management (TTM) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods: We analyzed heart rate (HR) and outcome data of 504 post-resuscitation patients from the prospectively collected database of the FINNRESUSCI study. One-year neurologic outcome was dichotomized by the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) to good (1-2) or poor (3-5). Results: Of 504 patients, 40.1% (202/504) had good and 59.9% (302/504) had poor one-year neurologic outcome. Patients with good outcome had lower time-weighted mean HR during the first 48 h in the ICU (69.2 bpm [59.2-75.1] vs. 76.6 bpm [65.72-89.6], p

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome with high incidence among the critically ill. Because the clinical variables and currently used biomarkers have failed to predict the individual susceptibility to AKI, candidate gene variants for the trait have been studied. Studies about genetic predisposition to AKI have been mainly underpowered and of moderate quality. We report the association study of 27 genetic variants in a cohort of Finnish critically ill patients, focusing on the replication of associations detected with variants in genes related to inflammation, cell survival, or circulation. In this prospective, observational Finnish Acute Kidney Injury (FINNAKI) study, 2647 patients without chronic kidney disease were genotyped. We defined AKI according to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. We compared severe AKI (Stages 2 and 3, n = 625) to controls (Stage 0, n = 1582). For genotyping we used iPLEXTM Assay (Agena Bioscience). We performed the association analyses with PLINK software, using an additive genetic model in logistic regression. Despite the numerous, although contradictory, studies about association between polymorphisms rs1800629 in TNFA and rs1800896 in IL10 and AKI, we found no association (odds ratios 1.06 (95% CI 0.89–1.28, p = 0.51) and 0.92 (95% CI 0.80–1.05, p = 0.20), respectively). Adjusting for confounders did not change the results. To conclude, we could not confirm the associations reported in previous studies in a cohort of critically ill patients.

Baseline characteristics and clinical factors in all FINNRESUSCI patients and in patients with blood samples. Description of data: a table reporting the main clinical characteristics of the patients included in the overall FINNRESUSCI trial and the patients included in the present biomarker substudy. (DOCX 14 kb)

Plasma levels of heparin-binding protein (HBP) at ICU admission in relationship to the 24-hour SOFA score and 24-hour cardiovascular SOFA score. Description of data: at ICU admission, plasma levels of HBP were significantly higher in patients with higher 24Â h SOFA scores. Moreover, HBP levels were significantly higher in patients who developed cardiovascular failure. (DOCX 19 kb)

Receiver operating characteristic curves of the discrimination value of plasma HBP at intensive care unit (ICU) admission and lactate and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), ICU death, and 12-month poor outcome. Description of data: there was no difference in the areas under the curve (AUCs) of HBP and lactate for the discrimination of MODS, ICU mortality or 12-month poor outcome. (DOCX 68 kb)

Kommentti Mika Valtosen kirjoitukseen Finnanest 48(3):230-237, 2015

PURPOSE Intensive care patients have increased risk of death and their care is expensive. We investigated whether risk-adjusted mortality and resources used to achieve survivors change over time and if their variation is associated with variables related to intensive care unit (ICU) organization and structure. METHODS Data of 207,131 patients treated in 2008-2017 in 21 ICUs in Finland, Estonia and Switzerland were extracted from a benchmarking database. Resource use was measured using ICU length of stay, daily Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System Scores (TISS) and purchasing power parity-adjusted direct costs (2015-2017; 17 ICUs). The ratio of observed to severity-adjusted expected resource use (standardized resource use ratio; SRUR) was calculated. The number of expected survivors and the ratio of observed to expected mortality (standardized mortality ratio; SMR) was based on a mortality prediction model covering 2015-2017. Fourteen a priori variables reflecting structure and organization were used as explanatory variables for SRURs in multivariable models. RESULTS SMR decreased over time, whereas SRUR remained unchanged, except for decreased TISS-based SRUR. Direct costs of one ICU day, TISS score and ICU admission varied between ICUs 2.5-5-fold. Differences between individual ICUs in both SRUR and SMR were up to > 3-fold, and their evolution was highly variable, without clear association between SRUR and SMR. High patient turnover was consistently associated with low SRUR but not with SMR. CONCLUSION The wide and independent variation in both SMR and SRUR suggests that they should be used together to compare the performance of different ICUs or an individual ICU over time.

OBJECTIVE Prognostic models are key for benchmarking intensive care units (ICUs). They require up-to-date predictors and should report transportability properties for reliable predictions. We developed and validated an in-hospital mortality risk prediction model to facilitate benchmarking, quality assurance, and health economics evaluation. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING We retrieved data from the database of an international (Finland, Estonia, Switzerland) multicenter ICU cohort study from 2015-2017. We used a hierarchical logistic regression model that included age, a modified Simplified Acute Physiology Score-II, admission type, premorbid functional status, and diagnosis as grouping variable. We used pooled and meta-analytic cross-validation approaches to assess temporal and geographical transportability. RESULTS We included 61,224 patients treated in the ICU (hospital mortality 10.6%). The developed prediction model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.886, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.882-0.890; a calibration slope 1.01, 95% CI (0.99-1.03); a mean calibration -0.004, 95% CI (-0.035-0.027). While the model showed very good internal validity and geographic discrimination transportability, we found substantial heterogeneity of performance measures between ICUs (I-squared: 53.4% to 84.7%). CONCLUSION A novel framework evaluating the performance of our prediction model provided key information to judge the validity of our model and its adaptation for future use. WHAT IS NEW?: : Key findings; Our mortality prediction model-which combined established clinically relevant predictors with premorbid functional status and diagnoses as modeling variables-showed very good internal validity, geographic discrimination and temporal transportability, with a substantial heterogeneity of performance measures between ICUs. What does this add to what is known? Premorbid functional status and diagnosis are known predictors of ICU-relevant study outcomes, but are not regularly implemented in established scoring systems. The inclusion of this information showed increased predictive model performance compared to predictions from established risk scoring systems, while showing good internal validation and transportability properties. What is the implication and what should change now? To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first development and validation studies to investigate geographical and temporal transportability properties of an ICU mortality prediction model. Transportability properties are key in the reliable monitoring and benchmarking of ICUs and for their planning. They provide an important piece of information about the model validity in other study populations and settings, and should be quantified in future validation studies of ICU prediction models.

Aims The objectives of this study were to evaluate the incidence and neurological outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients in Finnish intensive care units (ICU). This study also investigated the use of therapeutic hypothermia (TH), arterial blood gas (ABG) pressures and different biomarkers association with one-year neurological outcome after OHCA. Materials and methods The FINNRESUSCI study was conducted in 21 out of 22 ICUs in Finland during a one-year study period. All adult patients after OHCA who were treated in ICU were included. Blood samples for biomarker evaluation were collected and neurological outcomes were determined 12 months after CA. All patients were included when evaluated the incidence, the implementation of TH and outcomes. In Study II, all ABG samples obtained from mechanically ventilated patients during the first 24h from ICU admission. In Study III and IV, biomarkers were measured from patients resuscitated from VF/VT. Main results FINNRESUSCI study included 548 patients, of whom 311 (56.8%) had shockable (VF/VT) and 237 (43.2%) non-shockable (PEA or asystole) as an initial rhythm. TH was induced totally in 311 unconscious patients 85.8% in VF/VT and 31.4% in PEA or asystole group. Good neurologic outcome was achieved in 58.0% patients with shockable rhythms and in 19.4% with non-shockable rhythms after TH treatment. The mean PaCO2 tension during the first 24-hour in ICU was an independent predictor of a good outcome with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.054, but the mean PaO2 tension was not. The time spent above PaCO2 45 mmHg was associated with good neurologic outcome and patients with the highest mean PaCO2 and PaO2 values had better neurologic outcome than predicted with an OR of 3.2 (95% CI 1.1-9.2). IL-6 and S-100B was associated with time to ROSC and poor neurological outcome (p less than 0.001). Admission IL-6 was associated with extra-cerebral organ dysfunction (p less than 0.001) and was an independent predictor of poor neurological outcome with an OR of 1.006 (95% CI 1.000-1.011). Hs-TnT levels were elevated in all of the patients, higher in patients with poor vs. good neurological outcome 739 vs. 334 ng/l (p=0.028), but there was no statistical difference in mortality. Conclusions TH is well implemented in clinical practice in Finnish ICUs. The majority of OHCA patients with shockable rhythms survive with good neurology, while the outcome of patients with non-shockable rhythms is poorer despite the TH treatment. There was no harmful association between hyperoxia and outcome, but instead mild hypercapnia combined with mild hyperoxia might be beneficial during the first 24 hours. IL-6 was associated with extra-cerebral organ dysfunction and predicted neurological outcome after OHCA-VF/VT, while hs-TnT does not give any additional prognostic information. Tavoitteet Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää sairaalan ulkopuolella sydänpysähdyksen saaneiden potilaiden esiintyvyys suomalaisilla teho-osastoilla ja neurologiset toipumistulokset vuoden kuluttua sydänpysähdyksestä. Lisäksi selvitettiin viilennyshoidon käyttöä, valtimoverikaasujen ja eri biomarkkereiden yhteyttä neurologiseen toipumiseen tehohoidetuilla sydänpysähdyspotilailla Potilaat ja menetelmät Kansalliseen FINNRESUSCI tutkimukseen osallistui 21 Suomen 22:sta sydänpysähdyspotilaita hoitavista teho-osastoista. Tutkimukseen kerättiin yhden vuoden aikana kaikki sairaalan ulkopuolella sydänpysähdyksen saanet aikuispotilaat, jotka päätyivät teho-osastolle jatkohoitoon. Verinäytteitä kerättiin neljässä aikapisteessä ja neurologinen toipuminen arvioitiin vuoden kuluttua sydänpysähdyksestä. Valtimoverinäytteet analysoitiin vain teho-osastolla hengityskonehoidossa olleilta potilaita ja biomarkkerit analysoitiin vain iskettävistä lähtörytmeistä (VF/VT) elvytetyiltä potilailta. Tulokset FINNRESUSCI tutkimuksen kerättiin yhteensä 548 potilasta, joista 311 (56.8%) oli elvytetty VF/VT- rytmeistä ja 237 (43.2%) muista lähtörytmeistä (PEA/ASY). Viilennyshoito aloitettiin yhteensä 311 potilaalle, 85.8% VF/VT-potilaalle ja 31.4% muista rytmeistä elvytetyille. Näistä potilaista VF/VT-ryhmästä neurologisesti toipui hyvin 58.0% ja PEA/ASY-ryhmästä 19.4%. Normaaliarvoja korkeampi hiilidioksidin (CO2) osapaine valtimoveressä assosioitui hyvään ennusteeseen, vastaavasti hapen (O2) osapaineella ei ollut itsenäistä vaikutusta ennusteeseen ensimmäisen 24 tunnin tehohoidon aikana. Potilailla joiden CO2 ja O2 osapaineet olivat korkeimmat toipuivat paremmin kuin oli ennustemallin mukaan oli odotettavissa. Tulovaiheen interleukiini-6 (IL-6) ja proteiini S100-B arvot assosioituivat sydänpysähdyksen kestoon ja neurologiseen toipumiseen ja korkeat tulovaiheen IL-6 arvot myös ennustivat huonoa neurologista toipumista. Herkkä troponiini-T arvo oli koholla kaikilla potilailla, huonosti toipuneilla merkitsevästi enemmän, mutta se ei tuonut lisäarvoa ennustearvion tekemiseen. Johtopäätökset Viilennyshoito on laajasti kliinisessä käytössä teho-osastoilla koko Suomessa ja kammiovärinästä elvytettyjen potilaiden hoitotulokset ovat erittäin hyvät. Muista lähtörytmeistä elvytettyjen potilaiden ennuste on selvästi huonompi riippumatta siitä annetaanko viilennyshoitoa vai ei. Hengityskoneen säädöillä, jotka vaikuttavat valtimoveren O2 ja CO2 osapaineisiin, on vaikutusta toipumiseen. Mitatuista laboratorioarvoista mitään ei voida yksinään hyödyntää sydänpysähdyspotilaiden ennusteen arvioimisessa.

Aims of the study Intensive care is usually necessary for the good survival of postresuscitation patients. The use of some intensive care methods can make the survival better. The main focus of this thesis was to analyze implementation of therapeutic hypothermia in Finnish intensive care units (ICU) and its impact on survival, impact of strict glucose control on the survival of postresuscitation patients, incidence of postresuscitation myocardial depression during therapeutic hypothermia and usefulness of serum NSE concentration for prognostication. Patients and methods Implementation of therapeutic hypothermia and survival of postresuscitation patients in ICUs in Finland was analyzed retrospectively using data from the Finnish Intensive Care Consortium quality database. Impact of glucose control on survival of postresuscitation patients was studied in a randomized controlled study of patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia (24 hours at 33°C) in HUCH ICUs (n = 90). The study patients were randomized to strict (4 6 mmol/l) or moderate (6 8 mmol/l) glucose control for the first 48 hours. The incidence of myocardial depression was studied in a retrospective analysis of hemodynamic data from clinical information system database of 120 postresuscitation patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia (24 hours at 33°C) in HUCH ICUs. Usefulness of serum NSE and some other factors as prognostic tools were analyzed retrospectively from laboratory database of 90 postresuscitation patients treated with ­therapeutic hypothermia (24 hours at 33°C) in HUCH ICUs. Results Therapeutic hypothermia was implemented widely in Finnish ICUs in a few years after international guidelines were published in 2003. In the same time, mortality of postresuscitation patients treated in ICUs decreased. Mortality or serum NSE concentration did not differ between patients treated with strict or moderate glucose control. However, strict glucose control increased risk of hypoglycemia. Myocardial depression, manifesting as low cardiac output (CI less than 1.5 l/min/m2), was ­observed during the first 12 hours in two thirds of patients monitored with pulmonary artery catheter. Other hemodynamic parametres did not differ. Serum NSE concentration at 48 hours after cardiac arrest and decreasing concentration at that time point correlated with neurologic outcome, but with 100% specificity, sensitivity was low. Conclusions Therapeutic hypothermia was implemented rapidly in Finnish ICUs, compared with other European countries or USA. This was associated with better outcome, but causality is uncertain. Strict normoglycemia during intensive care of postresuscitation patients is not necessary. The optimal goal for blood glucose level is not known. Myocardial depression manifesting as low cardiac output is common in postresuscitation patients, but difficult to detect without monitoring cardiac output. The impact of ­recognition and treatment of myocardial depression on outcome requires further studies. Serum NSE measured at least 48 hours after resuscitation can be used as a prognostic tool together with other methods. Tavoitteet Sydänpysähdyksestä onnistuneesti elvytettyjen potilaiden toipuminen edellyttää useimmiten alkuvaiheen tehohoitoa. Eräillä tehohoidon menetelmillä on myös mahdollista merkittävästi parantaa toipumisennustetta. Tässä väitöskirjatyössä pyrittiin erityisesti selvittämään viilennyshoidon käyttöönottoa suomalaisilla teho-osastoilla ja sen vaikutusta toipumisennusteeseen, tiukasti normaaliksi hoidettavan verensokerin vaikutusta elvytettyjen toipumisennusteeseen, elvytyksen jälkitilaan liittyvän sydänlihaslaman esiintyvyyttä viilennyshoitoa saavilla potilailla sekä seerumin NSE-pitoisuuden käyttökelpoisuutta toipumisennusteen arvioinnissa. Potilaat ja menetelmät Viilennyshoidon käyttöönottoa ja sydänpysähdyksen jälkeen teho-osastoilla hoidettujen potilaiden toipumisennustetta koko Suomen laajuisesti tutkittiin Suomen Tehohoitokonsortion laatutietokantaan kerättyjen tietojen perusteella retrospektiivisesti. Verensokeritasapainon vaikutusta elvytettyjen potilaiden toipumisennusteeseen tutkittiin satunnaistetussa kontrolloidussa tutkimuksessa HYKS teho-osastoilla elvytyksen jälkeen viilennyshoidetuilla (24 tuntia 33°C lämpötilassa) potilailla (n = 90). Potilaat satunnaistettiin joko tiukan normoglykemian (4 6 mmol/l) tai kohtalaisen sokeritasapainon (6 8 mmol/l) ryhmiin ensimmäisten 48 tunnin ajaksi. Sydänlihaslaman esiintyvyyttä tutkittiin retrospektiivisesti keräämällä HYKS teho-osastoilla viilennyshoidossa (24 tuntia 33°C lämpötilassa) olleiden potilaiden (n = 120) verenkiertosuureita tehohoidon potilastietotietojärjestelmän tietokannasta. Seerumin NSE:n ja eräiden muiden tekijöiden yhteyttä toipumisennusteeseen tutkit­tiin retrospektiivisesti HYKS teho-osastoilla viilennyshoidettujen (24 tuntia 33°C lämpötilassa) potilaiden (n = 90) labo­ratoriotiedoista. Tulokset Viilennyshoito elvytyksen jälkeen otettiin suomalaisilla teho-osastoilla laajamittaiseen käyttöön jo muutamassa vuodessa sen jälkeen, kun siihen kehottava kansainvälinen hoitosuositus annettiin 2003. Samaan aikaan myös teho-osastoilla elvytyksen jälkeen hoidettujen potilaiden kuolleisuus pieneni merkittävästi. Tiukan tai kohtalaisen verensokeritavoitteen mukaan hoidettujen potilaiden 30 päivän kuolleisuudessa tai aivovaurion astetta kuvaavassa seerumin NSE-pitoisuudessa ei ollut eroa. Tiukka verensokeritavoite kuitenkin lisäsi hypoglykemian esiintyvyyttä. Matalana sydämen minuuttivirtauksena (CI alle 1.5 l/min/m2) ilmenevä sydänlihaslama havaittiin ensimmäisten 12 tunnin aikana kahdella kolmasosalla potilaista, joilla tätä moni­toroitiin keuhkovaltimokatetrilla. Muut verenkiertosuureet eivät näillä potilailla eronneet. Seerumin NSE-pitoisuus 48 tuntia sydänpysähdyksestä mitattuna sekä tuossa vaiheessa laskusuuntainen pitoisuus oli yhteydessä toipumisennusteeseen, mutta tavoiteltaessa 100% tarkkuutta menetelmän herkkyys oli kehno. Johtopäätökset Viilennyshoito otettiin Suomessa nopeasti laajamittaiseen käyttöön teho-osastoilla, toisin kuin muualla Euroopassa tai USA:ssa. Menetelmän käyttöönotto oli myös ajallisesti yhteydessä toipumisennusteen paranemiseen, mutta syy-seuraussuhde on epävarma. Elvytyksen jälkeisessä tehohoidossa ei ole tarpeen pyrkiä tiukkaan normoglykemiaan. Optimaalinen verensokeritavoite on edelleen epävarma. Alentuneena sydämen minuuttivirtauksena ilmenevä sydänlihaslama on yleinen heti elvytyksen jälkeen. Sen havaitseminen ilman CI:n mittausta on vaikeaa. Ilmiön tunnistamisen ja hoitamisen vaikutus toipumisennusteeseen edellyttää lisätutkimuksia. Seerumin NSE-pitoisuutta vähintään 48 tuntia elvytyksen jälkeen mitattuna voidaan käyttää ennustearvion tukena muiden menetelmien ohessa.

A systemic inflammatory response is observed after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We investigated two novel inflammatory markers, pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2), in comparison with the classic high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), for prediction of early multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), early death, and long-term outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.PTX3, sST2, and hsCRP were assayed at ICU admission and 48 h later in 278 patients. MODS was defined as the 24 h non-neurological Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score ≥12. Intensive care unit (ICU) death and 12-month Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) were evaluated.In total, 82% of patients survived to ICU discharge and 48% had favorable neurological outcome at 1 year (CPC 1 or 2). At ICU admission, median plasma levels of hsCRP (2.8 mg/L) were normal, while levels of PTX3 (19.1 ng/mL) and sST2 (117 ng/mL) were markedly elevated. PTX3 and sST2 were higher in patients who developed MODS (pHigher plasma levels of PTX3 and sST2, but not of hsCRP, at ICU admission were associated with higher risk of MODS and early death.

Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is the most common type of organ failure leading to the need for intensive care. It is often secondary to acute lung injury (ALI) and its more severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARF, and especially ALI and ARDS, cause increased morbidity, and mortality rates remain high (up to 40%). These disorders are characterised by inflammatory reaction and tissue damage. In some cases, inflammation continues and leads to an overwhelming repair process with ongoing fibrosis, accompanied by organ dysfunction and eventually a loss of function. Measuring the magnitude of the inflammation, and the repair process, would theoretically offer information concerning outcome. Early identification of patients whose disease process is likely to proceed unfavourably, would help clinicians to optimise their treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of ARF, its treatment, and outcome in Finland, with special interest in biomarkers, and their value in the prediction of mortality. Altogether, 958 adult patients treated with ventilatory support were prospectively included in this study during an eight week period in 2007 in 25 intensive care units. Plasma aminoterminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) was assessed in 602 patients, and plasma cell-free DNA in 580 patients, to evaluate their prognostic value in ARF. Markers of collagen metabolism were studied in longitudinal serum samples in 68 patients in order to evaluate their evolution in ARF and the association to multiple organ dysfunction (MOD). Ventilatory support was used in 39% of all ICU patients. The estimated incidence of ARF was 149.5/100 000 per year. Median tidal volumes used were higher than recommended. Overall mortality at 90 days was 31%. Plasma NT-pro-BNP and cell-free DNA were highly increased in the majority of patients. Both markers were independent predictors of 90-day mortality, but their discriminative power was at most moderate when used separately. The mortality was highest in those patients, in whom both biomarkers were over their separate cut-off values. Thus, combined use of these biomarkers may increase their clinical value in the mortality prediction. The markers of collagen metabolism changed significantly over time in surviving patients. None of these markers did associate with MOD in these patients. Akuutti hengitysvajaus on yleisin tehohoitoon johtava elinhäiriö ja se lisää sairastavuutta ja kuolleisuutta (jopa 40%). Akuuttiin hengitysvajaukseen johtaa usein akuutti keuhkovaurio, jonka tyypillisiä piirteitä ovat tulehdusreaktio ja kudosvaurio. Joskus voimakas tulehdusreaktio johtaa jatkuvaan arpeuttavaan prosessiin ja pahimmassa tapauksessa vaikeaan keuhkojen toiminnanvajaukseen sekä monielinhäiriöön. Tulehdusreaktion sekä siihen liittyvän arpeuttavan prosessin voimakkuutta mittaamalla voitaisiin mahdollisesti tunnistaa ne potilaat, joiden sairaus etenee epätoivotusti. Tämä auttaisi hoidon ja voimavarojen oikeassa kohdentamisessa. Tämän etenevästi toteutetun kohorttitutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli tutkia akuutin hengitysvajauksen yleisyyttä, hoitoa ja ennustetta Suomessa, sekä erityisesti selvittää biologisten merkkiaineiden ennustearvoa. Akuutin hengitysvajauksen ilmaantuvuus oli 149.5/100 000 asukasta vuodessa. Hengityslaitehoitoa tarvitsi 39% kaikista teho-osastoilla hoidetuista potilaista. Näiden potilaiden kuolleisuus 90 päivän kohdalla oli 31%. Hengityslaitehoidossa käytetyt kertahengitystilavuudet olivat suositeltuja suurempia. Sekä plasman B-tyypin N-terminaalinen natriureettinen propeptidi (NT-pro-BNP) että plasman vapaa DNA olivat voimakkaasti koholla suurella osalla potilaista. Molemmat merkkiaineet ennustivat itsenäisesti kuolleisuutta 90 päivän kohdalla, mutta erillisinä mittareina kummankin tilastollinen erottelukyky oli enintään kohtalainen. Kun merkkiaineiden tulokset yhdistettiin, kuolleisuus oli selvästi korkein niillä potilailla, joilla kumpikin merkkiaine oli korkea. Kollageeniaineenvaihdunnan merkkiaineissa tapahtui ajan mittaan merkittävää vaihtelua niillä potilailla, jotka olivat elossa 3 viikon kohdalla. Millään kollageeniaineenvaihdunnan merkkiaineella ei ollut yhteyttä monielinhäiriöön tässä potilasryhmässä.