Risk factors for acute respiratory distress syndrome in sepsis patients: a retrospective study from a tertiary hospital in China

BACKGROUND: Less is known about the risk factors for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in sepsis patients diagnosed according to sepsis 3.0 criteria. Moreover, the risk factors for ARDS severity remain unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively collected the characteristics of sepsis patients from the intensive care unit of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from January 2017 to September 2018. Logistic regression was used in determining the risk factors. RESULTS: 529 patients with sepsis were enrolled and 179 developed ARDS. The most common infection sites were acute abdominal infection (n = 304) and pneumonia (n = 117). Multivariate analysis showed that patients with pancreatitis with local infection (odds ratio [OR], 3.601; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.429–9.073, P = 0.007), pneumonia (OR 3.486; 95% CI 1.890–6.430, P < 0.001), septic shock (OR 2.163; 95% CI 1.429–3.275, P < 0.001), a higher sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score (OR 1.241; 95% CI 1.155–1.333, P < 0.001) and non-pulmonary SOFA score (OR 2.849; 95% CI 2.113–3.841, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for ARDS. Moreover, pneumonia is associated with increased severity of ARDS (OR 2.512; 95% CI 1.039–6.067, P = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: We determined five risk factors for ARDS in sepsis patients. Moreover, pneumonia is significantly associated with an increased severity of ARDS.