Intensive care medicine
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To estimate the incidence of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in an Australian urban community, and to describe the pattern of disease and outcomes in a community hospital intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ These data show that for ARDS, at least, mortality outcome can be comparable in a community ICU to a tertiary referral institution. The pattern of disease in an urban Australian community hospital is different to that often reported from tertiary centres. The incidence of ARDS in an Australian urban community is comparable to the reported incidence in North America and Western Europe.