UC Davis

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the intensive care unit. Improving outcomes depends on not only evidence-based care once ARDS has already developed but also preventing ARDS incidence. Several environmental exposures have now been shown to increase the risk of ARDS and related adverse outcomes. How environmental factors impact the risk of developing ARDS is a growing and important field of research that should inform the care of individual patients as well as public health policy.