ARDS Landmark Studies

ARDS Landmark Studies

A curated timeline of major trials and practice-changing evidence in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

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Showing 11 of 11 studies
ARDS Network (ARMA) — Low tidal volume ventilation
ARDSNet • NEJM
Ventilation
Tidal VolumePlateau Pressure

Lower tidal volume ventilation (6 mL/kg) reduced mortality from 39.8% to 31.0% compared to traditional volumes.

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PubMed
2000
2004
ARDS Network (ALVEOLI) — Higher vs lower PEEP
ARDSNet • NEJM
Ventilation
PEEP

Higher PEEP did not reduce mortality compared to lower PEEP when using low tidal volume ventilation.

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PubMed
ARDS Network (FACTT) — Fluid management
ARDSNet • NEJM
Fluid Therapy
ConservativeLiberalHemodynamics

Conservative fluid management improved oxygenation and reduced ventilator days without affecting mortality.

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PubMed
2006
2013
OSCILLATE — High-frequency oscillatory ventilation
Canadian Critical Care Trials Group • NEJM
Ventilation
HFOV

HFOV increased mortality compared to conventional ventilation. Trial stopped early for harm.

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PubMed
ACURASYS — Neuromuscular blockade
French ICU Group • NEJM
NMBASedation
CisatracuriumDeep Sedation

Early neuromuscular blockade improved 90-day survival and increased ventilator-free days in severe ARDS.

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PubMed
2010
2013
PROSEVA — Prone positioning
French ICU Network • NEJM
Prone Position
PositioningOxygenation

Prone positioning reduced 28-day mortality from 32.8% to 16.0% in severe ARDS patients.

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PubMed
ART — Recruitment maneuvers
Brazilian Research Network • JAMA
Ventilation
Recruitment ManeuversPEEP

Lung recruitment with PEEP titration increased mortality compared to low PEEP. Aggressive recruitment not recommended.

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PubMed
2017
2018
ROSE — Neuromuscular blockade revisited
NHLBI PETAL Network • NEJM
NMBASedation
CisatracuriumLight Sedation

No mortality benefit from early neuromuscular blockade, contradicting earlier ACURASYS findings.

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PubMed
EOLIA — ECMO for severe ARDS
International ECMO Network • NEJM
ECMO
VV-ECMO

ECMO did not significantly reduce 60-day mortality, but may benefit patients with refractory hypoxemia.

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PubMed
2018
2020
RECOVERY — Dexamethasone in COVID-19
UK RECOVERY Collaborative Group • NEJM
CorticosteroidsCOVID-19
DexamethasoneSARS-CoV-2

Dexamethasone reduced 28-day mortality in patients requiring respiratory support. Became standard of care.

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PubMed
Verchère et al. — Early vs Late Methylprednisolone in ARDS
GRAM+ Marseille Study Group • Scientific Reports
Corticosteroids
Methylprednisolone

No significant difference in mortality between early (≤14 days) vs late (>14 days) initiation of 2 mg/kg methylprednisolone in ARDS. Late initiation may be associated with more complications.

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PubMed
2025