title: Adult respiratory distress syndrome: an unrecognized premortem event in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: A retrospective study of the medical records of 46 patients, comprising our SLE population over a 6-year period, noted that mortality (7 of 46:15.2%) was directly related to the adult respiratory distress syndrome. In five, a concomitant severe infection was detected. Overall, 17 of our 46 patients presented with infectious episodes. The only statistically significant factor predisposing to both infection and the adult respiratory distress syndrome was high dose corticosteroid administration. Our results suggest that adult respiratory distress syndrome is a clinical condition related to the death of lupus patients and commonly complicates infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Patras School of Medicine, Greece.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Andonopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D011241:Prednisone