title: Novel biomarkers in critical care: utility or futility?
abstract: One of the holy grails of modern medicine, across a range of clinical sub-specialties, is establishing highly sensitive and specific biomarkers for various diseases. Significant success has been achieved in some of these clinical areas, most notably identifying high-sensitivity C-reactive peptide, troponin I/T and brain natriuretic peptide as significant prognosticators for both the acute outcome and the development of cardiovascular pathology. However, it is highly debatable whether this translates to complex, multi-system pathophysiological insults. Is critical care immune from the application of these novel biomarkers, given the numerous confounding factors interfering with their interpretation?
authors.affiliation: Centre for Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Management, University College London. g.ackland@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Gareth L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Ackland
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Mythen
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D002097:C-Reactive Protein