Acute respiratory distress syndrome among severe burn patients in a developing country: application result of the berlin definition.

Our aim was to investigate risk factors and outcome of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in severe burn patients. A descriptive study was carried out on 159 adult burn patients with burn extent ≥ 20% total body surface area, treated at the Burn Intensive Care Unit, National Institute of Burns. ARDS was defined according to the 2012 Berlin definition. Risk factors for developing ARDS and outcome were recorded and analyzed. Results showed that 45 patients developed ARDS (28.3%). Severe ARDS was recorded in 30 of these patients, accounting for 66.7%. Inhalation injury, burn surface area over 40% and full thickness burn area over 20% TBSA were determined as risk factors for the development of ARDS. Mortality rate of patients with ARDS was extremely high (80%), especially for severe ARDS patients (p < 0.01), and deaths were mostly due to multiple organ failure.