Jesús Villar, Carlos Ferrando, Domingo Martínez, Alfonso Ambrós, Tomás Muñoz, Juan A Soler, Gerardo Aguilar, Francisco Alba, Elena González-Higueras, Luís A Conesa, Carmen Martín-Rodríguez, Francisco J Díaz-Domínguez, Pablo Serna-Grande, Rosana Rivas, José Ferreres, Javier Belda, Lucía Capilla, Alec Tallet, José M Añón, Rosa L Fernández, Jesús M González-Martín
BACKGROUND: There is no proven specific pharmacological treatment for patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The efficacy of corticosteroids in ARDS remains controversial. We aimed to assess the effects of dexamethasone in ARDS, which might change pulmonary and systemic inflammation and result in a decrease in duration of mechanical ventilation and mortality. METHODS: We did a multicentre, randomised controlled trial in a network of 17 intensive care units (ICUs) in teaching hospitals across Spain in patients with established moderate-to-severe ARDS (defined by a ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen of 200 mm Hg or less assessed with a positive end-expiratory pressure of 10 cm H2 O or more and FiO2 of 0·5 or more at 24 h after ARDS onset)...
March 2020: Lancet Respiratory Medicine