CLINICAL AND LABORATORY INDICATORS OF RECOVERY OF RESPIRATORY FUNCTION IN NEUROSURGICAL PATIENTS IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this research was to determine which clinical and laboratory indicators are associated with better recovery of respiratory function in neurosurgical patients in the ICU. Also, we analyzed which patients have increased risk for prolonged mechanical ventilation. STUDY DESIGN: Cross – sectional study PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This study analyzed 190 consecutive neurosurgical patients hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit of the Clinical Hospital Centre Osijek. Patients hospitalized from 1st of January, 2021 to 1st of September, 2022 were included. Data on hospitalization length, age, neurosurgical diagnoses and type of surgery, GCS values and values of common laboratory tests (inflammatory markers, thrombocytes. hemoglobin, creatinine and urea, albumines) were collected from medical history. These values were analyzed in correlation with overall outcomes and mechanical ventilation length. RESULTS: A total of 173 patientssurvived (91,1%). The relationship between sex and length of mechanical ventilation was recorded (ρ = -0.193, P = 0.008). The duration of mechanical ventilation was twice as long in men as in women. Longer mechanical ventilation time was also observed in patients with higher CRP values (ρ = 0.079, P = 0.03), and lower creatinine values (ρ = -0.266, P = 0.03). Neurooncology patients, as well as patients with tumor ablation, had a shorter time of MV, as well as patients in whom surgery was performed compared to conservatively treated. Fatal outcomes were more common in patients with ICH as well as those who had concomitant comorbidities. CONCLUSION: Men, conservatively treated patients, patients with higher CRP values and patients who experienced a decrease in creatinine values below the lower limit of the reference values during hospitalization in the ICU were at increased risk for PMV.