Alterations of the Microbiome During Critical Illness with short and long term clinical outcomes

This study is designed to study the variations in the microbiome among critically ill patients and the effect of admission to the medical intensive care unit (MICU) at the University of Chicago. Additionally, we will examine the downstream clinical effects of dysbiosis in ICU patients and how patients maybe effected long term. By longitudinally sampling patients throughout their MICU admission and correlating changes in the microbiome with clinical data, this study will identify factors that impact the composition of the microbiome and their impact on clinical outcomes. These associations will be the foundation for further clinical studies and clinical trials to optimize the human microbiome in patients in the critical care unit.