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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

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Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Published on: April 7, 2021
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
1University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
BMJ Clinical Evidence
|May 21, 2009
Summary
This systematic review examines interventions for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a severe lung condition. It found 21 studies on treatments like corticosteroids and mechanical ventilation for ARDS patients.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Pulmonology
- Systematic Review Methodology
Background:
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe lung condition characterized by inflammation and hypoxia.
- Causes include infections, aspiration, and trauma, with mortality rates between 33% and 50%.
- Survivors may experience long-term respiratory or cognitive impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the effects of interventions in adult patients diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library) up to August 2006.
- Included were systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and observational studies.
- Harms alerts from regulatory agencies (FDA, MHRA) were also incorporated.
Main Results:
- Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review.
- The review synthesized data on various interventions for ARDS.
Conclusions:
- The review presents findings on the effectiveness and safety of key interventions for ARDS.
- Interventions evaluated include corticosteroids, low tidal volume mechanical ventilation, nitric oxide, prone positioning, and protective ventilation strategies.
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