Background Little information is available about the geo-economic variations in demographics, management, and outcomes of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We aimed to characterise the effect of these geo-economic variations in patients enrolled in the Large Observational Study to Understand the Global Impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Failure (LUNG SAFE). Methods LUNG SAFE was done during 4 consecutive weeks in winter, 2014, in a convenience sample of 459 intensivecare units in 50 countries across six continents. Inclusion criteria were admission to a participating intensive-care unit (including transfers) within the enrolment window and receipt of invasive or non-invasive ventilation. One of the trial's secondary aims was to characterise variations in the demographics, management, and outcome of patients with ARDS. We used the 2016 World Bank countries classification to define three major geo-economic groupings, namely European high-income countries (Europe-High), high-income countries in the rest of the world (rWORLD-High), and middle-income countries (Middle). We compared patient outcomes across these three groupings. LUNG SAFE is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02010073. Findings Of the 2813 patients enrolled in LUNG SAFE who fulfilled ARDS criteria on day 1 or 2, 1521 (54%) were recruited from Europe-High, 746 (27%) from rWORLD-High, and 546 (19%) from Middle countries. We noted significant geographical variations in demographics, risk factors for ARDS, and comorbid diseases. The proportion of patients with severe ARDS or with ratios of the partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO 2) to the fractional concentration of oxygen in inspired air (F I O 2) less than 150 was significantly lower in rWORLD-High countries than in the two other regions. Use of prone positioning and neuromuscular blockade was significantly more common in Europe-High countries than in the other two regions. Adjusted duration of invasive mechanical ventilation and length of stay in the intensive-care unit were significantly shorter in patients in rWORLD-High countries than in Europe-High or Middle countries. High gross national income per person was associated with increased survival in ARDS; hospital survival was significantly lower in Middle countries than in Europe-High or rWORLD-High countries. Interpretation Important geo-economic differences exist in the severity, clinician recognition, and management of ARDS, and in patients' outcomes. Income per person and outcomes in ARDS are independently associated.

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The authors analyzed 704 transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) examinations, performed routinely to all admitted patients to a general 16-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during an 18-month period. Data acquisition and prevalence of abnormalities of cardiac structures and function were assessed, as well as the new, previously unknown severe diagnoses.A TTE was performed within the first 24 h of admission on 704 consecutive patients, with a mean age of 61.5 ± 17.5 years, ICU stay of 10.6 ± 17.1 days, APACHE II 22.6 ± 8.9, and SAPS II 52.7 ± 20.4. In four patients, TTE could not be performed. Left ventricular (LV) dimensions were quantified in 689 (97.8%) patients, and LV function in 670 (95.2%) patients. Cardiac output (CO) was determined in 610 (86.7%), and mitral E/A in 399 (85.9% of patients in sinus rhythm). Echocardiographic abnormalities were detected in 234 (33%) patients, the most common being left atrial (LA) enlargement (n = 163), and LV dysfunction (n = 132). Patients with these alterations were older (66 ± 16.5 vs 58.1 ± 17.4, p b 0.001), presented a higher APACHE II score (24.4 ± 8.7 vs 21.1 ± 8.9, p b 0.001), and had a higher mortality rate (40.1% vs 25.4%, p b 0.001). Severe, previously unknown echocardiographic diagnoses were detected in 53 (7.5%) patients; the most frequent condition was severe LV dysfunction. Through a multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was determined that mortality was affected by tricuspid regurgitation (p = 0.016, CI 1.007-1.016) and ICU stay (p b 0.001, CI 1-1.019). We conclude that TTE can detect most cardiac structures in a general ICU. One-third of the patients studied presented cardiac structural or functional alterations and 7.5% severe previously unknown diagnoses.

Echocardiography (echo) is a powerful technique that permits direct visualization and assessment of all the cardiac structures and assessment of the patients’ haemodynamic status at the bedside. Echo allows detection of valvular disease, evaluation of ventricular function and the pericardium, detection of intracardiac/intrapulmonary shunts, and can be used to calculate flows and relative pressures between the cardiac chambers. This rapid point-of-care haemodynamic evaluation provides information to guide therapeutic interventions, including volume resuscitation, instigation of vasoactive therapy and/or referral for specialist cardiac/surgical intervention. Although there is abundant evidence in the cardiology literature regarding the use of echo, data in the critical care arena is less well defined, but emerging. The use of echo by intensive care doctors is likely to become routine, and therefore training for intensivists in this technique needs to be developed and supported. The Portuguese Working Group on Echocardiography has developed a skill-based program, FADE (Focused Assessment Diagnostic Echocardiography) in order to train clinicians in the use of bedside ultrasound as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for the critically ill.