Adipokines in critical illness: A review of the evidence and knowledge gaps

•Considerable changes occur in adipokines’ behaviour following critical illness.•Lower adiponectin at admission with gradual consequent increase might be a useful pattern in determining better outcomes.•Some clinical studies have suggested the adverse effects of elevated resistin and potential prognostic value of visfatin.•Experimental studies have proposed the therapeutic value of ghrelin in critical care.•High ADMA levels and low arginine: ADMA ratio were suggested as predictors of ICU mortality and morbidities.