Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Published on: April 7, 2021
Acute respiratory failure in Pakistani patients: risk factors associated with mortality
Syed Fayyaz Hussain1, Muhammad Irfan, Yawar Saeed Naqi
1Section of Pulmonary and Critical Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, P.O. Box 3500, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800, Pakistan. fayyaz.hussain@aku.edu
Objective:
To assess the outcome and risk factors associated with mortality in patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF).
Design:
Observational study.
Place And Duration Of Study:
The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, between January 1997 and June 2001.
Patients And Methods:
All adult patients admitted with a medical cause of acute respiratory failure were reviewed. The primary outcome measure was mortality and secondary outcome measures were factors associated with mortality in ARF. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors for mortality.
Results:
A total of 270 patients were admitted with ARF. Hypercapnic respiratory failure was seen in 186 (69%) and hypoxemic in 84 (31%) cases. Pneumonia and COPD exacerbation were the most common underlying causes of ARF. Ventilator support was required in 93 (34.4%) patients. Hospital mortality was 28%. Chronic renal failure, malignancy, hypokalemia, severe acidosis (pH <7.25) septicemia and ARDS independently correlated with mortality. Mortality rate increased sharply (84%) with the presence of three or more risk factors.
Conclusion:
Acute respiratory failure has a high mortality rate (28%). Development of ARDS or septicemia was associated with high mortality. Presence of more than one risk factor significantly increased the mortality rate.
Related Concept Videos
Acute Respiratory Failure-I
Definition: It is defined by specific criteria based on blood gas measurements. Hypoxemia happens when the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) falls below 60 mmHg. At the same time,...
Acute Respiratory Failure-III
Acute Respiratory Failure-IV
Acute Respiratory Failure-II
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Acute Respiratory Failure-V
Ensure that patients are monitored continuously for their response to therapy, including changes in...
Pneumonia I: Introduction
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...
