Potential effects of corticosteroids on physiological dead-space fraction in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: Increased dead-space fraction is common in patients with persistent acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We evaluated the changes in the oxygenation and dead-space fraction in patients with persistent ARDS after corticosteroid therapy.

Methods: This was a non-randomized non-placebo, controlled observational study including 19 patients with persistent ARDS treated with corticosteroids.

Prognostic value of the pulmonary dead-space fraction during the early and intermediate phases of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: Little is known about the alveolar dead-space fraction after the first week of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We measured the dead-space fraction in the early phase (first week) and the intermediate phase (second week) of ARDS, and evaluated the association of dead-space fraction with mortality.

Methods: We prospectively measured dead-space fraction and other variables in 80 intubated patients during the early phase of ARDS and in 49 patients during the intermediate phase.