Nature and nurture: the future of predictor variables

Abstract

The traditional approach to the severity of illness systems in the critically ill has relied on clinical variables. These systems, although increasingly refined and improved, continue to have difficulties. After the investigation of the pathogenesis of diseases in the critically ill it is becoming more apparent that patient response to disease and eventual outcome is strongly influenced by genetic predisposition. Although this ability is in the early stages of development, it may be possible in the future not only to predict patient outcome but also to preempt clinical management through knowledge of a patient’s genetic susceptibility.