Clinical characteristics and prognosis of drug-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome compared with non-drug-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome: a single-centre retrospective study in Japan

ObjectivesTo report the clinical features and prognosis of drug-associatedacute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).DesignA retrospective analysis of data collected during a prospective cohort study.SettingIntensive care unit in a teaching hospital.ParticipantsA total of 197 Japanese patients with ARDS diagnosed by the Berlin definition who were admitted to the Division of Respiratory Medicine from October 2004 to December 2015 were enrolled in the study and were classified as two groups according to their causes: a drug-associated ARDS group (n=27) and a non-drug-associated ARDS group (n=170). Primary outcome measure is 28-day mortality, and the secondaryoutcome measure is ventilator-free days.ResultsThe Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were significantly lower in the drug-associated ARDS group than in the non-drug-associated ARDS group (median (IQR): 18.0 (16.5–21.0) vs 23.0 (18.0–26.0), pConclusionsAlthough more severe lung damage with fibroproliferation was observed in patients with drug-associated ARDS, ventilator weaning was earlier, and their prognosis was better than the others. Further well-designed prospective studies are needed.