Multi-organ dysfunction in the critically ill: epidemiology, pathophysiology and management.

The syndrome of multiple organ failure has been recognised as a distinc t entity since the 1970s, and is the leading cause of mortality in intensive care1. It was subsequently appreciated that patients develop a spectrum of organ dysfunction which may or may not require pharmacological (eg inotropic) or mechanical (eg ventilation) support. This led to the coining of a new syndrome, multi-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), defined as altered organ function in an acutely ill patient2.