A new study reveals that ventilator settings may influence the development of acute respiratory distress
syndrome (ARDS) in patients supported by mechanical ventilation. In a retrospective analysis of more than
2,500 patients, researchers from Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center identified 789 patients who required more than 48 hours of ventilation but did not have
ARDS at admission. After the test period, nearly 20% (152) of these patients went on to develop the
syndrome.
