Acute lung injury: a 1 year study at an intensive care unit of a university hospital

In 1994 a North American–European Consensus Conference published new criteria defining Acute Lung Injury (ALI) and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). However, few epidemiological studies regarding ALI/ARDS have been published since then. Our objectives were to determine the incidence of ALI/ARDS, its mortality and the influence of risk factors, comorbidities and organ dysfunction on mortality in ALI/ARDS patients.