The Epidemiology of Acute Respiratory Failure in Critically Ill Patients

Study objectives To describe the risk factors for the development of and mortality resulting from acute respiratory failure (ARF) in a large patient population. Design A substudy of a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study, which was designed to validate the sequential organ failure assessment score. Setting Forty ICUs in 16 countries. Patients All critically ill patients who were admitted to one of the participating ICUs during a 1-month period were observed until the end of their hospital course. Measurements and results Of the 1,449 patients who were enrolled into the study, 458 (32%) were admitted to an ICU with ARF, as defined by a Pao2/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio of Conclusions The present study stresses that ARF is common in the ICU (56% of all patients) and that a number of extrapulmonary factors are related to the risk of development of ARF and to mortality rate in these patients.