| Abstrakt: |
The mortality of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains high despite advances in supportive care of ARDS and in the understanding of the pathogenesis. Numerous inflammatory mediators including reactive oxygen species, arachidonic acid metabolites, and growth factors, are present in the circulation of patients with or at risk for developing this syndrome and play a key pathophysiologic role in the development of lung injury. Pharmacologic therapy is being evaluated to: 1) support the failing lung by improving gas exchange; 2) interrupt the mediator-induced mechanisms of inflammation and injury. Although none of these experimental therapies has yet been proven to improve survival in well conducted prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials, many have demonstrated improvement in physiologic function. These results have helped lay the groundwork for future advances in this field. |
