Cardiopulmonary Complications and Risk Stratification in Critically Ill Patients

Cardiac and pulmonary dysfunction frequently coexist in critically ill patients, and each can amplify the other through changes in preload, afterload, gas exchange and systemic inflammation. Acute respiratory distress syndrome, severe pneumonia, exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary embolism may be complicated by right ventricular dysfunction, arrhythmias, myocardial injury or circulatory shock. Conversely, cardiac dysfunction and venous congestion can worsen respiratory failure and delay recovery. These interactions are especially hard to assess in patients with multimorbidity and rapidly changing organ support requirements.Several tools offer complementary information: bedside echocardiography, lung ultrasound, hemodynamic measurements, imaging and circulating biomarkers. Electronic health records and multicenter ICU databases add further opportunities to characterize risk across diverse populations. Prognostic associations, however, do not automatically translate into useful clinical decisions. Important gaps remain in outcome definitions, the timing of measurements, the interpretation of dynamic trajectories, external validation, and the assessment of whether risk estimates actually improve care. Integrating physiological understanding with clinically interpretable prediction may help identify impending deterioration and support more individualized monitoring and treatment.This Research Topic aims to advance the understanding, early recognition and risk stratification of cardiopulmonary complications in adult critical illness. We seek studies that connect clinically meaningful questions with physiological measurements, biomarkers, imaging or routinely collected data, and that clarify how findings could inform bedside decisions. Contributions may address the incidence and mechanisms of complications, identify vulnerable phenotypes, evaluate dynamic risk assessment, or assess interventions within well-defined patient groups. A particular goal is to strengthen the credibility and applicability of prediction research through transparent methods, appropriate handling of temporality and missing data, external validation, calibration and assessment of clinical utility. We encourage multicenter studies, prospective investigations and rigorous analyses of treatment-effect heterogeneity, alongside translational work with a clear link to cardiopulmonary outcomes.We welcome Original Research, Reviews, Systematic Reviews and other article types permitted by the journal. Priority themes include:• Heart–lung interactions, right ventricular failure, myocardial injury, arrhythmias and pulmonary vascular complications in critical illness.• Risk assessment in ARDS, severe pneumonia, COPD exacerbations, pulmonary embolism, acute heart failure and sepsis.• Echocardiography, lung ultrasound, imaging, hemodynamic monitoring and respiratory support variables for early detection of deterioration.• Inflammatory, immune, metabolic and nutritional biomarkers, including longitudinal changes and clinically defined phenotypes.• Development, external validation and implementation of interpretable prediction models using clinical cohorts, ICU registries and electronic health records.• Risk-informed prevention and treatment, including ventilation, oxygen therapy, fluid management, anticoagulation and extracorporeal support. Topic editors: Zhounan Zhu, Xinlei Wu, Guangdong Wang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86616/cardiopulmonary-complications-and-risk-stratification-in-critically-ill-patients