Recent advances in the interaction between acute respiratory distress syndrome and gut microbiota: A narrative review

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a sudden, widespread inflammatory damage to the lungs resulting from multiple etiologies. ARDS is characterized by high sickness rates, mortality, and costly treatments and is a significant global health issue that lacks an effective treatment strategy. The microbiota of the gut is an intricate ecology indispensable for the host's health, immunology, and metabolism. Human immunity and intestinal barrier function depend on gut microbes. Several disorders are linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis. Scientists have been concentrating on the role that gut microbes play in the onset of ARDS. This study examines the relationship between ARDS and intestinal microbiota, specifically addressing two facets: how ARDS affects the composition of the gut microbiota and the integrity of the intestinal barrier, alongside the effects of mechanisms such as bacterial translocation and inflammatory activation resulting from gut microbiota dysregulation on ARDS. Additionally, various therapeutic strategies involving gut microbiota and its metabolites, such as selective digestive decontamination (SDD), fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), microbiological preparations, and metabolites produced from the microbiota, are explored. It is anticipated that this exploration will make a substantial contribution to the prevention and therapy of ARDS.