PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:~To assess the efficacy of a sedation with inhaled sevoflurane in improving in reducing mortality and morbidity in patients with moderate-severe ARDS in comparison to a control group receiving intravenous sedation with propofol.~PRIMARY HYPOTHESIS:~Inhaled sedation with sevoflurane will improve a composite outcome of mortality and time off the ventilator at 28 days, in patients with moderate-severe ARDS.~The trial will accrue a maximum of 700 patients. Patients will be recruited from participating intensive care units and randomized to the active (inhaled sevoflurane) or control (intravenous propofol).~The overall strategy is to screen and enroll early, every newly intubated, acutely ill or postoperative, patient at each site, using clinically obtained pulse oximetry and blood gases.~By providing superior awakening and extubation times, as well as lung-protective effects from anti-inflammatory and protective effects from epithelial injury, inhaled sevoflurane may hasten recovery from lung injury and improve outcomes.
This study evaluates whether a sedation with inhaled sevoflurane will decrease mortality and increase time off the ventilator at 28 days in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).~Half of the patients will receive inhaled sedation with sevoflurane and the other half will receive intravenous sedation with propofol.