Timing of the onset of acute respiratory distress syndrome: a population-based study.

Background: Many patients with acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have had recent healthcare interventions prior to developing ALI/ARDS.

Objective: To determine the timing of ALI/ARDS onset in relation to hospital admission and other healthcare interventions.

Methods: We conducted a population-based observational cohort study with a validated electronic surveillance tool, and identified patients with possible ALI/ARDS among critically ill adults at Mayo Clinic hospitals that provide critical care services for Olmsted County, Minnesota, in 2006.