Grant: Catalyst Grant: Pandemic Outbreak Research Response

Despite the public health importance of the impending influenza pandemic, there are few clinical studies of the impact of life-threatening influenza on the use of critical care resources. The 1918 epidemic killed 75 million people; today, many of these would be saved through the use of critical care resources. These resources will be limited if the disease is widespread. We will first determine the number of critical care beds, ventilators, and ability to provide "lung rescue" therapies for the very sickest patients. We will then study critically ill patients with influenza during 2009-2010 in order to determine risk factors for severe disease and death, the degree and duration of life-support required to treat critically ill patients with influenza, and the proportion of patients who die and survive. This work will provide data to help the public, policy makers and other researchers determine the best way to match demand with capacity during the H1N1 Pandemic.