Early post-traumatic acute respiratory distress syndrome and albumin excretion rate: a prospective evaluation of a ‘point-of care’ predictive test

All patients sustaining major trauma exhibit increased capillary permeability, manifested as micro-albuminuria. Urinary albumin excretion rate (AER) measured on intensive care units (ICU) can predict early post-traumatic acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This prospective study sought to evaluate AER as a practical predictive test for early ARDS. Staff at the participating centres were trained in the use of the Behring Turbitimer and the concept of AER as a predictor of early post-traumatic ARDS. AER was measured every 2 h for the first 24 h, on 54 adult blunt trauma admissions (ISS≥18). A diagnosis of early acute lung injury (ALI) or ARDS was made using the American–European Consensus Conference criteria. Eleven patients developed ARDS, ten developed ALI, and 23 had no pulmonary dysfunction. The AER was significantly greater in those who developed ARDS 8 and 18 h after admission. The positive predictive value of the test was 64% at 8 h, the negative predictive power 73%. The test was performed most consistently in the middle 10 h of the study period. If intervention had been based on the 8 h data point result, 75% patients who had the test performed and later developed ARDS would have had intervention appropriately. In principle, testing for AER as a predictor of post-traumatic ARDS on ICU is feasible, however, this study has underlined the challenges of introducing new concepts into the ICU environment.