Claude Guérin, Jean Reignier, Jean-Christophe Richard, Pascal Beuret, Arnaud Gacouin, Thierry Boulain, Emmanuelle Mercier, Michel Badet, Alain Mercat, Olivier Baudin, Marc Clavel, Delphine Chatellier, Samir Jaber, Sylvène Rosselli, Jordi Mancebo, Michel Sirodot, Gilles Hilbert, Christian Bengler, Jack Richecoeur, Marc Gainnier, Frédérique Bayle, Gael Bourdin, Véronique Leray, Raphaele Girard, Loredana Baboi, Louis Ayzac
BACKGROUND: Previous trials involving patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have failed to show a beneficial effect of prone positioning during mechanical ventilatory support on outcomes. We evaluated the effect of early application of prone positioning on outcomes in patients with severe ARDS. METHODS: In this multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled trial, we randomly assigned 466 patients with severe ARDS to undergo prone-positioning sessions of at least 16 hours or to be left in the supine position...
June 6, 2013: New England Journal of Medicine