[Posttraumatic or inflammatory acute respiratory distress syndrome on high altitude area: a retrospective analysis of 94 deaths due to ARDS/MOF].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the characteristic predictors of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in the high altitude area of China.


METHODS
According to the diagnostic criteria of ARDS, 2 325 cases were screened in the recent 10 years. Except malignant tumors, cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic multiple organ failure, the causes of death were analysed retrospectively.


RESULTS
94 cases (4.04%) were diagnosed as ARDS, but in the primary case record, only 27 cases (1.16%) had been diagnosed as ARDS/MOF. Of the 94 ARDS patients, 79 complicated by extrapulmonary organ damage involving the kidney, heart, liver, gastro-intestinal tract, and brain. A total of 305 organs were involved (average 3.24 organs each case). Lung failure only accounted for 15 cases.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of the diagnostic criteria of ARDS for high altitude area and flate area, injury severity scale, blood gas monitoring, and integrated traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine may improve the prognosis of ARDS.
Zhang
S
S
Department Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Lanzhou General Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Lanzhou 730050.
Lu
H
H
Gao
W
W
Xu
K
K
Li
N
N
Lu
G
G
Mao
D
D
Huang
C
C
Fan
X
X
Su
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000531:Altitude; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications*; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies