Strengths and limitations of the different definitions of ARDS
| Definition | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Petty and Ashbaugh (1971)3 | • Detailed clinical description of the hallmarks of ARDS which remains relevant today | • No formal criteria for identification of patients |
| Murray et al (1988)4 | • Three part definition evaluates chronicity, severity, and cause of lung injury | • Lung injury score has not been predictive of mortality |
| • No formal criteria to exclude cardiogenic pulmonary oedema | ||
| North American-European Consensus Conference (1994)5 | • Simple criteria which are easy to apply in the clinical setting | • Cause of lung injury not required |
| • Disease spectrum recognised by separation of ARDS from ALI | • Radiographic criteria not sufficiently specific |