Baldwin MR, Pollack LR, Friedman RA, et al. - Researchers undertook this single-centre prospective cohort study to determine the subtypes of acute respiratory failure survivors, because this information may facilitate patient selection for post-intensive care unit follow-up clinics and trials. This study involved 185 acute respiratory failure survivors, aged ≥ 65 years. Five frailty subtypes were discovered. Across each subtype, recovery rate reduced 49%, independent of age, gender, pre-existing disability, comorbidity and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (recovery rate ratio: 0.51, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.63). Based on prehospitalisation frailty and cognitive impairment at hospital discharge, there existed differences among frailty subtypes. Experts noted that subtypes exhibiting the slowest recovery were similarly characterised by greater systemic inflammation as well as more anabolic hormone deficiencies at hospital discharge.