Pediatr Crit Care Me
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Jul 2013
ReviewMechanisms of acute respiratory distress syndrome in children and adults: a review and suggestions for future research.
To provide a current overview of the epidemiology and pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome in adults and children, and to identify research questions that will address the differences between adults and children with acute respiratory distress syndrome. ⋯ There are significant obstacles to performing research on children with acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, epidemiologic, clinical, and animal studies suggest age-dependent differences in the pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome. In order to reduce the prevalence and improve the outcome of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, translational studies of inflammatory, apoptotic, alveolar fluid clearance, and repair mechanisms are needed. Understanding the differences in pathophysiologic mechanisms in acute respiratory distress syndrome between children and adults should facilitate identification of novel therapeutic interventions to prevent or modulate lung injury and improve lung repair.