title: Incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome and its relation to age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was previously considered to be relatively low, at less than 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year, but recent reports suggest a higher incidence, especially in elderly patients. The objective was to determine the incidence and mortality of ARDS in our setting, both overall and by age group.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective, observational study of patients older than 14 years, admitted to the intensive care units of all hospitals in a province of southern Spain (Granada) during a 5-month period in 2001. American-European Consensus Conference criteria for ARDS were used. Patients were divided into 5 age groups, and the hospital mortality was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 61 Granada-residing patients developed ARDS criteria. This represents an overall incidence of 23 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year in the province. The incidence of ARDS in the age groups of 15 to 29, 30 to 44, 45 to 59, 60 to 74, and older than 74 years was 4.6, 13.6, 21.6, 51, and 73.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year, respectively. The overall hospital mortality rate was 66%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of ARDS is higher than reported a decade ago and is especially elevated in the elderly. The mortality remains high.
authors.affiliation: Critical Care and Emergency Department, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, 18013 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Manzano
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yuste
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colmenero
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aranda
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Horcajadas
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernández-Mondéjar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*