Acute respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract

The Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a syndrome of acute respiratory failure associated to severe pulmonary inflammation secondary to acute lung injury. The injury agent may be local, like pneumonias or aspiration syndromes, or systemic like sepsis. Pulmonary edema secondary to disturbs in alveolar capillary barrier is a hallmark of acute phase but, in the proliferative phase cellular infiltration with pulmonary remodeling may lead to fibrosis in some patients. There is not a specific treatment for ARDS. The present therapeutic interventions are respiratory support and the treatment of the causal subjacent condition. Some patients in the proliferative phase may show good response to high doses of steroids. It has been seen a decrease in ARDS mortality during the last years, probably due to improvements in the quality of intensive care units and new ventilatory strategies. However, ARDS associated mortality is still high, around 40%.