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Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2006; 27(4): 327-336
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-948287
Copyright © 2006 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Epidemiology of Acute Lung Injury and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Fernando Frutos-Vivar1 , Niall D. Ferguson2 , Andrés Esteban1
  • 1Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Madrid, Spain
  • 2Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology and Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
14 August 2006 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a heterogeneous disorder that may be triggered by myriad etiologies (both pulmonary and extrapulmonary). Mortality rates for ARDS range from 30 to 75%, and most deaths are a consequence of multiorgan failure (MOF). Since the sentinel description of ARDS in 1967, criteria for the diagnosis of this entity were refined. In 1992, diagnostic criteria for ARDS were published in an American-European Consensus Conference and the term acute lung injury (ALI) was adopted to encompass patients with a spectrum of less severe forms of the same pathological entity. This review discusses limitations of various criteria utilized to diagnosis ARDS and ALI, and why some criteria may be problematic when designing clinical trials. Also discussed are the myriad causes of ARDS, incidence, epidemiology, mortality, and factors that influence outcome.

KEYWORDS

Acute respiratory distress syndrome - acute lung injury - multiorgan failure - epidemiology - ventilator-associated lung injury

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Andrés EstebanM.D. Ph.D. 

Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Carretera de Toledo

Km 12.500, Getafe, 28905 Madrid, Spain

Email: aesteban@ucigetafe.com

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