Study procedures
ADVERSE EVENTS, BLOOD, EVENTS, ADVERSE EVENT
At baseline, all patients received a Pulse Contour Cardiac Output (PiCCO; Pulsion Medical Systems, Munich, Germany) catheter. PiCCO catheter placement was performed as part of a deferred consent procedure and replaced the standard care arterial line. Extravascular lung water (EVLW) measurements were performed daily for seven days or until transfer to the ward, as previously described [After randomization and PiCCO measurement, the study drug was administered twice daily as a 25 ml, two-hour infusion for seven days or until ICU discharge. The study drug consisted of a 9.6 mg/mL imatinib mesylate solution (Exvastat Ltd, Cambridge, United Kingdom), corresponding to 200 mg imatinib per dose, or placebo. Clinical and ventilation parameters were recorded on days 1,2,4,7,10 and 28. Ventilation parameters were recorded once per hour, and partial oxygen pressure (PaO2) at least once per shift (i.e. every 4 h) or more frequently, if clinically indicated. Ventilation parameters were collected at the time of the lowest ratio of PaO2 to the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2). Blood samples were collected for plasma biomarker analyses (Additional file Adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs) were recorded until day 28. Due to the high incidence of adverse events in the ICU, only prespecified events were recorded (Additional file 