Abstract
We reported clinical courses, treatments and complications in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ADRS) in three patients with severe intellectual and motor disabilities (SMID). One patient had sepsis from pyelonephritis and developed ARDS. The two other patients developed ARDS from respiratory tract infections. All patients were treated with antibiotics, mechanical ventilation and vasoconstrictors (dopamine and dobutamine). Two of the three patients had severe circulatory failure and multiple organ failure. Their conditions improved only slightly with steroid pulse therapy. They also received peritoneal dialysis (PD) for renal failure. After PD, one patient rapidly recovered from renal failure and ARDS. PD facilitated the removal of inflammatory cytokines, which were contributing to the patients' ARDS. One patient showed flaccid paralysis of the extrimities after the onset of ARDS. From the clinical evaluation and neuroelectrophysiological examination, the etiology of paralysis was neuropathy caused by their critical illness. Persons with SMID have a relatively high risk of infection. Therefore we need to be aware of the occurrence of ARDS.
