Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of pre-hospital use of aspirin and anti-inflammatory agents in patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and mortality in critically ill patients, by retrospectively screening ARDS patients treated in intensive care unit (ICU).

Material and Method: Demographic data, duration time of ICU, intensive care unit Apache-II score, presence of comorbidity and mortality, procalcitonin and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels, neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) rates, Berlin Criteria, the use of aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs, and the presence of infection findings from the files of ARDS patients followed from January 2016 to January 2017.

Results: Forty of the 43 ARDS patients were included in the study. Eighteen patients (90%) had worsening in the first week, 14 (70%) had chest X-ray pathology, 15 had (75%) pulmonary edema and 12 had (60%) needed oxygen. Statistically significant difference was found in these Berlin Criteria (p<0.05). There were significant differences between last procalcitonin values, the first and last CRP, N/L ratios values, hospitalization times and APACHE II scores (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between first and last leukocyte levels (p≥0.05).

Conclusion: Pre-hospital aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs seemed to decrease morbidity in terms of Berlin Criteria but there were no significant differences between mortality in ARDS patients in intensive care unit. However, further research is needed to confirm the results.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome Aspirin Anti-inflammatory drug