Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most important complications associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). ARDS is caused by inflammation of the lungs and hypoxic damage with lung physiology abnormalities associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Aim of this study is to determine the epidemiology of ARDS and the prevalence of risk factors.

Methods: This prospective study performed on patients with acute traumatic head injury hospitalization in the intensive care unit of the Shohaday-e Haftom-e-Tir Hospital (September 2012 to September 2013) done. About 12 months, the data were evaluated. Information including age, sex, education, employment, drug and alcohol addiction, were collected and analyzed. The inclusion criteria were head traumatic patients and exclusion was the patients with chest trauma. Questionnaire was designed with doctors supervision of neurosurgery. Then the collected data were analysis.

Results: In this study, the incidence of ARDS was 23.8% and prevalence of metabolic acidosis was 31.4%. Most injury with metabolic acidosis was Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) 48 (60%) and Subdural hemorrhage (SDH) was Next Level with 39 (48%) Correlation between Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) were significantly decreased (P< 0.0001). The level of consciousness in patients with skull fractures significantly lower than those without fractures (P= 0.009) [(2.3±4.6) vs (4.02±7.07)]. Prevalence of metabolic acidosis during hospitalization was 80 patients (31.4%).

Conclusion: Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a common complication of traumatic brain injury. Management and treatment is essential to reduce the mortality. In this study it was found the age of patients with ARDS was higher than patients without complications. ARDS risk factor for high blood pressure was higher in men. Most victims were pedestrians. The most common injury associated with ARDS was SDH. Our analysis demonstrates that Acute respiratory distress syndrome is common after traumatic brain injury. Management of traumatic brain injury is necessary to manage and reduce the mortality.