Figure 1.

The impending transformation in critical care syndrome classification. In the old paradigm, we classify syndromes such as respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and sepsis based on clinical criteria that poorly inform treatments. In the future paradigm, we identify more biologically meaningful subgroup characteristics that inform disease-modifying treatment options (treatable traits). As pictured above, the data presented by Heijnen and colleagues (10) in this issue of the Journal brings us closer to identifying treatable traits. ARDS = acute respiratory distress syndrome.