Incidence of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome in the intensive care unit of a university hospital: a prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the incidence of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, as well as related risk factors and mortality in an intensive care unit. To compare patients developing lung injury with at-risk patients not presenting acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome.


METHODS
The study was conducted in the intensive care unit of the Ribeirão Preto Hospital das Clínicas Emergency Room. All patients admitted between May 2001 and April 2002 were monitored prospectively. Clinical data, Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, complications, length of stay in the intensive care unit and lung injury data were recorded.


RESULTS
Of the 524 patients admitted, 175 (33.4%) presented risk factors for acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, 33 (6.3%) developed acute respiratory distress syndrome, and 12 (2.3%) developed acute lung injury. The main risk factors were pneumonia (37.7%), shock (32.0%), multiple trauma (24.6%) and sepsis (21.1%). Patients developing acute lung injury had higher Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (p < 0.05), more frequently presented sepsis (p = 0.001), developed more complications (p = 0.001) and presented greater mortality (p = 0.001). The main cause of death was multiple organ failure (38.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome was 2.3% and 6.3%, respectively.
Oliveira
Raquel Hermes Rosa
RH
Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. raquelhermes@yahoo.com.br
Basille Filho
Aníbal
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index