Table 2.
Characteristics at diagnosis of ALI/ARDS
| Characteristic | ALI | ARDS | P |
| Number | 20 | 33 | |
| Age, years; median (interquartile range) | 70.5 (42–81.8) | 60.5 (46.5–79.3) | 0.436 |
| Female sex, n (percentage) | 13 (65.0) | 21 (63.6) | 1 |
| McCabe score | |||
| Non-fatal | 14 (70.0) | 23 (69.7) | |
| Ultimately fatal | 5 (25.0) | 9 (27.3) | 0.927 |
| Fatal | 1 (5.0) | 1 (3.0) | |
| Medical (versus surgical) admission | 13 (65.0) | 20 (60.6) | 0.369 |
| Antecedent clinical risk conditions, n (percentage) | |||
| Sepsis | 16 (80.0) | 30 (90.9) | 0.405 |
| Pneumonia | 10 (50.0) | 15 (45.5) | 0.783 |
| Aspiration | 1 (5.0) | 1 (3.0) | 1 |
| Trauma | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Transfusions | 2 (10.0) | 1 (3.0) | 0.549 |
| Pancreatitis | 0 | 1 (3.0) | 1 |
| Pulmonary contusion | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Shock | 6 (30.0) | 15 (45.5) | 0.386 |
| Other | 1 (5.0) | 0 | 0.377 |
| On day of clinical risk development, median (IQR) or n (percentage) | |||
| SAPS II | 37.5 (24.0–47.8) | 37 (28.0–41.5) | 0.604 |
| Mean arterial pressure (mmHg) | 86 (71–103) | 73 (65–85) | 0.076 |
| Multiple organ dysfunction score | 2 (1–3.75) | 6 (4–7) | 0.008 |
| Location, percentage on ward versus ICU | 12 (60) | 5 (15.2) | 0.002 |
| PaO2/FiO2, mmHg | 229 (210–264) | 98 (78.5–146) | <0.001 |
| Receiving mechanical ventilation, percentage | 7 (35) | 22 (66.7) | 0.045 |
| Tidal volume (ml) | 600 (500–600) | 550 (500–600) | 0.615 |
| Positive end-expiratory pressure, cmH2O | 5 (5–8) | 8 (5–10.5) | 0.086 |
| Ventilator mode, percentage volume-cycled ventilation | 7 (100) | 20 (91) | 1 |
| Days from clinical insult to ALI/ARDS diagnosis | 0 (0–3) | 2 (0–4) | 0.14 |
ICU, intensive care unit; ALI, acute lung injury (PaO2/FiO2 200 to 300 mmHg); ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; SAPS, simplified acute physiology score; PaO2, partial pressure of arterial oxygen; FiO2, fractional concentration of inspired oxygen.