Corticosteroids and respiratory failure

Symposium
Chairs: P. Pelosi (Milan, Italy), T. Welte (Hanover, Germany)
Aims: This symposium will
• discuss practical aspects of the management of pneumonia and sepsis;
• present standards for the use of corticosteroids in acute respiratory failure;
• highlight the advantages and the limitations of corticosteroids in this clinical setting;
• discuss when and how corticosteroids can be applied in critically ill patients.

Corticosteroids and community-acquired pneumonia A. Torres (Barcelona, Spain)
Corticosteroids and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) P. Suter (Presinge, Switzerland)
Corticosteroids and exacerbations of COPD M. Cazzola (Rome, Italy)