Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Patients Discharged From a Tertiary Hospital in Taiwan: Long-Term Survival and Prognostic Factors.

Chen, Hui-Chuan; Wu, Huey-Dong; Liu, Hsiang-Wen; Chang, Hong-Jer; Lee, Ming-Der; Huang, Pei-Yu; Kuo, Ping-Hung

BACKGROUND Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) carries significant morbidity and mortality. No previous studies have investigated the long-term outcomes of ARDS patients in Taiwan. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the survival of ARDS patients after discharge from the hospital in Taiwan. METHODS Medical records from 150 ARDS patients discharged alive from the intensive care unit from January 2004 to June 2009 were reviewed. Survival of these patients was followed for 5 years, and prognostic factors were identified. RESULTS Cumulative survival rates were 81.4% at 6 months, 79.0% at 1 year, 67.2% at 2 years, and 45.7% at 5 years. Independent prognostic factors influencing both 1- and 5-year survival rates were age, previous lung disease, and disposition after discharge. For 5-year survival, renal disease was also an independent risk factor. DISCUSSION The mortality rate of ARDS survivors after intensive care unit discharge is still high in Taiwan. Three independent risk factors were found to affect the overall survival of these patients.