Effect of Alcohol and Drugs of Abuse on Immune Function in Critically Ill Patients With Respiratory Failure

This study plans to learn more about people who are sick in the hospital with a lung infection, or respiratory failure. Respiratory failure, or severe lung failure, is a life-threatening disease. When it happens, the lungs have trouble carrying out their normal function of getting oxygen into the blood, and removing carbon dioxide from the body. Investigators are conducting this study to see what drinking too much alcohol, using tobacco products, or using drugs (both legal and illegal) may do to lung infections and respiratory failure. Subjects are asked to be in this research study because they are thought to have a lung infection and may also have respiratory failure. Alcohol, tobacco, and drug use have been linked to lung infections, respiratory failure, and even death, but the reasons for this aren't known. People who use unhealthy amounts of alcohol, tobacco, and or drugs may be more at risk for lung infections, and for severe complications due to lung infection. Subject participation is important whether or not you use alcohol and or drugs.