American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Published reports indicate that survival rates of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome have not improved dramatically since the first report of the condition in 1967. However, changes in ventilator strategies and improved critical care management may result in better survival rates in patients with well-defined, severe adult respiratory distress syndrome. ⋯ This survival rate exceeds most recently reported rates and thus supports the idea that improvement in treatment of adult respiratory distress syndrome is occurring.