National Survey on the Management of Refractory Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure

Abstract

Acute respiratory distress syndrome remains poorly recognized and heterogeneously managed despite a mortality that approaches 42% in severe cases. Severe ARDS with refractory hypoxemia has no standard definition from any critical care society. A national survey performed by Alhurani et al. 2016, in 2013 of 385 critical care physicians found only two-thirds consensus in the definition of refractory hypoxemic respiratory failure and the approach to management was varied. Most physicians employ management strategies based upon comfort/familiarity despite existing evidence for one strategy over the other. We conducted a follow up survey to evaluate if there has been a change in agreement of the definition and management of refractory hypoxemic respiratory failure.