This retrospective population-based study evaluated the effects of alcohol consumption on the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Alcohol consumption was quantified based on patient and/or family provided information at the time of hospital admission. ARDS was defined according to American-European consensus conference (AECC). From 1,422 critically ill Olmsted county resi...

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is common in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU). ARDS results in increased use of critical care resources and healthcare costs, yet the overall mortality associated with these conditions remains high. Research focusing on preventing ARDS and identifying patients at risk of developing ARDS is necessary to develop strategies t...

OBJECTIVE To study morbidity and mortality in ARDS patients from 1987 to 1999. DESIGN Review of a prospectively collected database of ARDS patients. SETTING Large, community hospital located in Salt Lake City, UT. PATIENTS ARDS patients identified for the years 1987 to 1999. We prospectively identified ARDS patients at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, UT, using PaO(2)/fraction of inspired ...

RATIONALE The contribution of air pollution to the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is unknown. METHODS We studied 1,558 critically ill patients enrolled in a prospective observational study at a tertiary medical center who lived less than 50 km from an air quality monitor and had an ARDS risk factor. Pollutant exposures (ozone, NO2, SO2, particulate matter < 2.5 μm, particu...

BACKGROUND MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can play important roles in inflammation and infection, which are common manifestations of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We assessed if whole blood miRNAs were potential diagnostic biomarkers for human ARDS. METHODS This nested case-control study (N = 530) examined a cohort of ARDS patients and critically ill at-risk controls. Whole blood miRNA prof...

Trauma is a major factor that contributes to the risk for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Biomarkers that predict the risk, diagnosis, treatment response and prognosis of ARDS after trauma have been widely investigated. In addition to their applications in clinical diagnosis and treatment, these biomarkers provide important insights into our understanding of the pathogenesis of ARDS...

Endothelial injury is an important prognostic factor in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Decreased production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ARDS may favour vascular lesions, since VEGF promotes endothelial survival by inhibiting apoptosis. This study sought to document low VEGF levels in lung tissue from ARDS patients, to determine whether the cause was injury to al...

INTRODUCTION There is a limited understanding of the long-term needs of survivors of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) as they recover from their episode of critical illness. The Timing it Right (TIR) framework, which emphasizes ARDS survivors' journey from the ICU through to community re-integration, may provide a valuable construct to explore the support needs of ARDS survivors d...

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology and management of acute lung injury (ALI) and the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in Ireland. METHODS As part of a 10-week prospective national audit of patient demographics and organ failure incidence in intensive care in Ireland, all patients with ALI/ARDS in 14 participating centres were prospectively identified...

BACKGROUND Endothelial injury is an important prognostic factor in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a critical role in endothelial destruction and angiogenesis. Genetic variations of the VEGF gene have been associated with VEGF production. A study was undertaken to investigate the impact of VEGF gene polymorphisms on the clinical outcom...