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Updated: May 7, 2026

Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
06:22

Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Published on: April 7, 2021

Surfactant therapy for acute respiratory distress in children

C Moretti1, P Papoff, C S Barbàra

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Paediatric Emergency and Intensive Care, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. corrado.moretti@uniroma1.it

Acta Bio-Medica : Atenei Parmensis
|September 21, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Acute lung injury in children alters the surfactant system through inflammation and injury. This review explores the pathophysiology of lung injury and surfactant therapy for respiratory failure.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric critical care medicine
  • Pulmonology
  • Biochemistry of lung surfactants

Background:

  • Acute lung injury (ALI) in pediatric patients involves complex pathophysiological mechanisms.
  • The endogenous surfactant system plays a crucial role in maintaining lung function and is significantly impacted in ALI.
  • Inflammation, vascular dysfunction, oxidant stress, cellular damage, and edema are key contributors to ALI pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the pathophysiology of acute lung injury in children.
  • To review the role and application of surfactant therapy in treating acute respiratory failure in infants and children.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on pediatric acute lung injury.
  • Analysis of the mechanisms affecting the endogenous surfactant system in ALI.
  • Examination of clinical evidence regarding surfactant use in pediatric respiratory failure.

Main Results:

  • Multiple mechanisms, including inflammation and cellular injury, disrupt surfactant function in pediatric ALI.
  • Surfactant dysfunction is a critical component of the respiratory compromise seen in ALI.
  • Surfactant therapy is a potential treatment modality for acute respiratory failure in this population.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the multifaceted pathophysiology of ALI is essential for effective treatment strategies.
  • Surfactant replacement or modulation may offer therapeutic benefits for children with acute respiratory failure due to ALI.
  • Further research into surfactant's role in pediatric ALI is warranted.

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