What are the long-term outcomes after ARDS?

Like other survivors of critical illness, patients are at risk for ongoing morbidity and mortality in the months and years after ARDS. It remains unclear if ARDS itself is independently associated with poorer long-term outcomes when adjusting for patient demographics, baseline health, and risk factors for development of ARDS. Most patients have full pulmonary recovery, with mild or no symptoms and minimal radiographic and pulmonary function testing abnormalities detectable after the first year. Physical and cognitive impairments are generally most severe early in recovery and improve over 2-5 years. Mental health impairments are less common, and follow a less predictable pattern of recovery. Little is known about how to prevent, rehabilitate, and cope with new impairments after ARDS, and additional research is ongoing and much needed. In the meantime, ARDS survivors and their families need information, resources, and support.