title: Acute respiratory distress syndrome.
abstract: Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a common cause of acute respiratory failure that is underdiagnosed both inside and outside of intensive care units. Progression to the most severe forms of the syndrome confers a mortality rate greater than 40% and is associated with often severe functional disability and psychological sequelae in survivors. While there are no disease-modifying pharmacotherapies for the syndrome, this progression may be prevented through the institution of quality improvement measures that minimise iatrogenic injury associated with acute severe illness.
authors.affiliation: Barts Heart Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nessa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.affiliation: William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK m.griffiths@ic.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Griffiths
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome; D055397:Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury
keywords: ARDS; Acute respiratory distress syndrome; acute respiratory failure; critical illness; ventilator-associated lung injury