Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a syndrome of inflammation and increased permeability associated with a constellation of clinical, radiologic, and physiologic abnormalities unexplained by elevations in left atrial or pulmonary capillary pressure.
All definitions of this syndrome include patients who meet the following criteria:
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Identifiable associated condition
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Acute onset
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Pulmonary artery wedge pressure </=18 mm Hg or absence of clinical evidence of left atrial hypertension
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Bilateral infiltrates on chest radiography
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Acute lung injury (ALI) is present if Pao2/Fio2 ratio is </= 300
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Acute respiratory distress syndrome is present if Pao2/Fio2 ratio </= 200
ARDS = acute respiratory distress syndrome; Pao2 = partial pressure of arterial oxygen; Fio2 = percentage of inspired oxygen.
Clinical Conditions Associated with Development of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Direct lung injury
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Pneumonia
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Aspiration of gastric contents
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Inhalation injury
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Near drowning
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Pulmonary contusion
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Fat embolism
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Reperfusion pulmonary edema post lung transplantation or pulmonary embolectomy
Indirect lung injury
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Sepsis
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Severe trauma
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Acute pancreatitis
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Cardiopulmonary bypass
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Massive transfusions
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Drug overdose
References:
- Bernard GR, Artigas A, Brigham KL, Carlet J, Falke K, Hudson L, Lamy M, Legall JR, Morris A, Spragg R. The American-European Consensus Conference on ARDS. Definitions, mechanisms, relevant outcomes, and clinical trial coordination. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1994 Mar;149(3 Pt 1):818-24. [Medline]
- Ware LB, Matthay MA. The acute respiratory distress syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2000 May 4;342(18):1334-49. [Medline]
- Mortelliti MP, Manning HL. Acute respiratory distress syndrome. Am Fam Physician. 2002 May 1;65(9):1823-30. [Medline]
