Mortality in patients who develop ARDS is 30% to 50%.[4]Bellani G, Laffey JG, Pham T, et al. Epidemiology, patterns of care, and mortality for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome in intensive care units in 50 countries. JAMA. 2016 Feb 23;315(8):788-800.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2492877
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26903337?tool=bestpractice.com
[142]Máca J, Jor O, Holub M, et al. Past and present ARDS mortality rates: a systematic review. Respir Care. 2017 Jan;62(1):113-22.
http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/62/1/113.full
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27803355?tool=bestpractice.com
Death is most often due to multiple organ failure rather than purely to respiratory failure.[143]Montgomery AB, Stager MA, Carrico CJ, et al. Causes of mortality in patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1985 Sep;132(3):485-9.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4037521?tool=bestpractice.com
Low tidal volume ventilation reduced in-hospital mortality from 40% to 31% in the 2000 ARDS Network trial.[65]Brower RG, Matthay MA, Morris A, et al; Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network. Ventilation with lower tidal volumes as compared with traditional tidal volumes for acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2000 May 4;342(18):1301-8.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJM200005043421801
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10793162?tool=bestpractice.com
Being of a younger age may also increase the chances of survival.[144]Ely EW, Wheeler AP, Thompson BT, et al. Recovery rate and prognosis in older persons who develop acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Ann Intern Med. 2002 Jan 1;136(1):25-36.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11777361?tool=bestpractice.com
Patients who do survive their illness usually have some residual decrease in lung function, although it may not always cause symptoms.[145]Neff TA, Stocker R, Frey HR. Long-term assessment of lung function in survivors of severe ARDS. Chest. 2003 Mar;123(3):845-53.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12628887?tool=bestpractice.com
[146]Orme J, Romney JS, Hopkins RO, et al. Pulmonary function and health-related quality of life in survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2003 Mar 1;167(5):690-4.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12493646?tool=bestpractice.com
Muscle weakness, neuropathies, joint disorders, and chronic pain are also common in survivors of ARDS at 1 year.[147]Herridge MS, Cheung AM, Tansey CM, et al; Canadian Critical Care Trials Group. One-year outcomes in survivors of the acute respiratory distress syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2003 Feb 20;348(8):683-93.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa022450
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12594312?tool=bestpractice.com