[Clinical, radiological, and respiratory fuction evolution of the adult respiratory distress syndrome (author's transl)].

Little is known about the evolution of patients surviving an episode of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ADRS). In the present study the clinical and radiological evolution, and the course of pulmonary function changes were evaluated in nine patients that survived an episode of ADRS. There were six male and three female, with a mean age of 44 +/- 16 (mean +/- SD). The initial PaO2 was 39 +/- 10 with a FiO2 less than 35, and 59 +/- 23 with a FiO2 of 1. Four patients were smokers and one had a history of chronic bronchitis. Pulmonary function studies disclosed a peripheral obstructive ventilatory alteration in one patient, a peripheral and central alteration in four, and non-obstructive changes in three. Follow-up pulmonary functions studies were carried out in six cases and demonstrated a significant increase of DLCO (p less than 0.01). Airway obstruction was present in one case, the same degree of obstruction was maintained in two cases, a reversible bronchospasm appeared in one case, and respiratory fuction returned to normal in two cases. The severity of the ADRS was unrelated to the later evolution. The results suggest that residual functional abnormalities might be related to the administration of high concentrations of O2. No residual clinical or radiological alterations were observed. Because of the multifactorial etiology of ADRS and of the reduced number of patients studied the results are non-homogeneous. However, DLCO appears to be the best parameter to indicate functional recovery. Residual abnormalities are minimal and temporary, and full recovery is to be expected.