[Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema]

Non-cardiac pulmonary edema comprises all types of pulmonary edema not caused by increase of left ventricular filling pressure and elevated pulmonary capillary pressure. In one year 42 patients at our intensive care unit developed non-cardiac pulmonary edema. In a retrospective study the clinical, radiological and functional changes in patients with non-cardiac pulmonary edema were determined. 76% of the patients had multiple causes for development of non-cardiac pulmonary edema. Sepsis was the most frequent predisposing disease. Over-all mortality reached up to 69%. Additional organ failure caused an increase in mortality. Patients without complications had the best prognosis. Mechanical ventilation (69%), high-dose corticosteroids (50%), hemodialysis with ultrafiltration (33.3%) and hemofiltration (7.1%) were used for treatment of non-cardiac pulmonary edema.