Nitrogen Oxide in the Treatment of the Acute Distress Syndrome

Overview

Background.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a selective pulmonary vasodilator effective in the treatment of pulmonaryhypertension and hypoxemic respiratory failure. Reports in the Czech literature on the results of its therapeutic useare still scarce.Methods and Results. Effects of inhaled NO on the changes of PaO 2 /FiO 2 were assessed in the retrospectivestudy. Records of artificially ventilated patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) werereviewed. Daily highest NO dose, the highest PaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio, duration of NO administration and death or survivalof the patient was noted. Survivors and nonsurvivors, as well as responders (rise of PaO 2 /FiO 2 by at least 20 %) andnon-responders were compared using Mann-Whitney and ANOVA test, a=0.05. 16 patients were entered into thestudy, 13 (81 %) responded positively to NO administration, the mortality was 56 %. Comparing the age, NO dose,duration of its administration and APACHE II score in survivors and non-survivors, in respondents and non-res -pondents no differences were found. After NO administration the PaO 2 /FiO 2 rose both in survivors and non-survivors(p

Key words:
nitric oxide, acute respiratory distress syndrome, hypoxemia, intensive care.