Objective: This article describes the methodology used for the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference.
Design: Consensus conference of international experts in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome using the Research ANd Development/University of California, Los Angeles appropriateness method and an expert recommendations process developed by the French-speaking intensive care society. Topics related to pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome were divided into nine subgroups with a review of the literature.
Setting: A group of 27 experts met three times over the course of 2 years and collaborated in their respective subgroups to define pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and to make recommendations regarding treatment and future research priorities.
Main results: The consensus conference resulted in summary of recommendations published in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, the present Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference methodology article, articles on the nine pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome subtopics, and a review of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome pathophysiology published in this supplement of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.
Conclusions: The methodology described involved experts from around the world and the use of modern information technology. This resulted in recommendations for pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome management, the identification of current research gaps, and future priorities.