Interventions to Decrease Mortality Among Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Abstract

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe complication which affects thousands of patients every year and is associated with high mortality rates and increased healthcare costs. A systematic review was conducted to determine the efficacy of various interventions used to decrease the staggering mortality rate of ARDS. The interventions studied were extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), prone positioning, and neuromuscular blockade. Data bases searched were Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane library, and the CINAHL databases to find relevant research articles and a literature review conducted. A total of 21 articles were considered and screened for inclusion/exclusion criteria, ultimately yielding five articles included in this systematic review. To guide this major project, the Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and flow diagram were utilized. To further assess the quality of reach study, the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist was used. A cross study analysis was performed to compare identified outcomes. This systematic review determined one study to be underpowered, one study demonstrated a decrease in mortality in the intervention group but was not statistically significant, and two studies were stopped for futility. One study was adequately powered and displayed a significant decrease in mortality rate. The results of this systematic review indicates further research is needed on the efficacy of interventions to decrease ARDS-related mortality and guide advanced practice nurse decision-making.