RESEARCH

MiR-181a: a potential biom wasting following elective W Acute muscle wasting following critical illness is a com-mon clinical problem [1], which is associated with sig-significant muscle weakness at awakening [5], but in the worst cases patients may become severely disabled re-Bloch et al. Critical Care (2015) 19:147 DOI 10.1186/s13054-015-0853-5unavailable or technically challenging and therefore a circulating biomarker would have significant advantages, Imperial College, SW3 6NP London, UK Full list of author information is available at the end of the articlenificant morbidity and mortality [2]. Damage to muscle function and structure starts in the acute phase of the clinical illness [3,4]. The muscle wasting and consequent loss of strength that results from critical illness varies both in severity and duration. Overall in critically ill pa-quiring long-term respiratory weaning and developing a long-lasting neuromuscular deficit [6]. Muscle wasting and weakness although related are not directly comparable, however, the ability to predict the development of muscle wasting prior to its development, or before the patient can be assessed for weakness would enable clinicians to predict prognosis, direct early re-habilitation and guide management, which may in the future include anabolic drugs [7]. Although early muscle wasting can be detected with ultrasound [4] this may b