Active clinical trials for "Acute Lung Injury"

Acute lung injury (ALI) and the more severe manifestation, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) describe syndromes of acute onset, bilateral, inflammatory pulmonary infiltrates and impaired oxygenation. ARDS/ALI are a continuum of disease which results in a life threatening, rapidly progressive illness and occurs in critically ill patients. Recent reports in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) highlight the significant public health impact ARDS/ALI has on the critically ill population in that despite robust research efforts, these illnesses continue to be under diagnosed, under treated, and continue to have a high mortality rate (≥ 40% of all confirmed diagnoses). The estimates for ARDS/ALI incidence vary due to inconsistencies with proper diagnosis and lack of valid biomarkers of disease; however, it is expected that anywhere from 20-50% of patients on mechanical ventilation will develop this disease. Previous work by our group has shown that sphingolipids play a multifaceted role in lung inflammation. Sphingolipid are a class of bioactive lipids that play a role in cellular processes such as apoptosis, cell migration, and adhesion. Ceramide is one species of sphingolipid the investigators have examined in both man and mouse. Our laboratory has shown that ceramide is up-regulated in pulmonary inflammation in mouse models of pneumonitis and is elevated in the exhaled breath condensate of mechanically ventilated patients at risk for ARDS/ALI. Our work coupled with the work of others highlighting a role for ceramide in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), surfactant dysfunction, and infectious disease make ceramide a logical candidate biomarker that warrants further investigation. To our knowledge, there are no studies examining the role of ceramide as a biomarker in ARDS/ALI. Thus, our overarching hypothesis is that ceramide is elevated in the lungs of patients who develop ARDS/ALI. This lipid dysregulation accounts for the pathophysiology seen in this disease and may be a potential pharmacologic target for clinical treatment. Thus the purpose of this exploratory research is to maximize existing specimens to further evaluate ceramide as a biomarker for acute lung injury.

In a recent experimental study, the investigators showed that the growth factor Activin A is expressed in the lungs of rats with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) at levels that are comparable with those determined in the bronchoalveolar (BAL) lavage fluid from patients with ARDS. In the same study, the administration of the Activin A inhibitor Folistatin resulted in attenuation of the histological damage of the ARDS-afflicted rat lung. The precise role of Activin A/Folistatin in acute respiratory failure associated with acute lung inflammatory pathology has not been elucidated yet. Therefore, the purpose of the present, observational study is to investigate the role of Activin A/Folistatin in respiratory failure due to ARDS and/or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), also in relation with other biochemical markers, such as cytokines and surfactant-related proteins.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome following cardiac surgery severely affects the prognosis of patients; the mortality is up to 40%. Although experience many years of research and exploration, the effective methods for the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome is still relatively limited at present, including lung protective mechanical ventilation respiratory support, fluid management, glucocorticoid and other integrated organ function maintenance measures. It is currently the research of acute respiratory distress syndrome aims at the early discovery and takes effective measures to prevent its occurrence, hoping to improve the prognosis of patients. According to risk factors is established through the analysis of lung injury score early warning system, the early identification of acute respiratory distress syndrome patients at high risk, before the occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome take corresponding preventive measures can effectively reduce the incidence rate and mortality. So far, domestic and foreign research on the establishment of acute respiratory distress syndrome scoring early warning system is less. Cardiac surgery has significant characteristics, type of operation, location, operation, intraoperative blood transfusion and oxygenation, postoperative factors, are likely to be the factors of acute respiratory distress syndrome. As far as investigators know, so far there are few specialized for acute respiratory distress syndrome predicting lung injury after cardiac surgery. This study will be completed after the implementation of individualized dynamic lung injury score evaluation of cardiac surgery patients, identification of high-risk acute respiratory distress syndrome patients, to assist clinicians in early decision, take preventive measures. This study will improve the prognosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome patients after cardiac surgery; it is of great significance to improve the level of intensive care after cardiac surgery.

57 patients with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) requiring Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy were analyzed retrospectively. 28 patients had received immunglobulin M-enriched immunoglobulin therapy (IVIG); 29 patients did not receive IVIG therapy. These patients were analyzed regarding length of stay in intensive care unit (LOS ICU), length of stay (LOS) in hospital and regarding mortality.

As novel agonists of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, R-spondin proteins constitute a class of ligands, including R-spondin 1/2/3/4, functioning through their receptors leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor (LGR)4/5/6 to enhance Wnt/β-catenin activity. Since Wnt signaling plays pivotal roles in the regulation of many life processes involved in embryogenesis and adulthood, R-spondin proteins also take part in cell proliferation, differentiation and morphogenesis.For example, in the formation of respiratory system，R-spondin 2 is required for normal laryngeal-tracheal and lung morphogenesis，and the lack of R-spondin 1 expression results in the absence of duct side-branching development and subsequent alveolar formation. In addition, R-spondins show protective effect in tissue injury and diseases. R-spondin 1 and R-spondin 3 have been reported to prevent chemotherapy- or radiotherapy-induced mucous membrane lesion. R-spondin 1 attenuates oral mucositis contributed by radiotherapy in mouse models and R-spondin 3 potentiates intestinal regeneration elicited via gastrointestinal toxic effect of chemoradiotherapy treatment. However, whether R-spondin proteins exert salient influence on acute lung injury especially induced by mechanical ventilation is deficient. Therefore, this study aims to ascertain the implication of R-spondin proteins in the pathology of mechanical ventilation induced lung injury through detecting human plasma concentration change of R-spondin 1/2/3/4 after mechanical ventilation and interference effects in mouse model, which is helpful for prevention and treatment of ventilation induced lung injury.

There appears to be considerable variability in the approach physicians use to manage arterial carbon dioxide tensions, in patients in the early phases [first 48 hours] of ARDS (Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and). A number of specific concerns exist, particularly the use of greater than needed inspired oxygen concentrations (potentially in 40% patients), and the proportion of hypocapnic patients in our cohort.

Dopamine(DA) is a common neurotransmitter that has been known to regulate behavior, movement, cardiovascular，endocrine and gastrointestinal functions, but also functions as an important molecule engaging in the immune systems to possess anti-inflammatory effects. However, its role in ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is still unclear. Herein, this study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of dopamine on ventilation-induced lung endothelial barrier dysfunction and explore the possible underlying molecular mechanisms.

Although mechanical ventilation is life saving, it is associated with a number of severe complications collectively referred to as ventilator induced lung injury (VILI). VILI contributes to the high morbidity and mortality associated with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Within the context of a randomized study evaluating the feasibility of conducting a study comparing high frequency oscillation to conventional lung protective ventilation in early severe ARDS, we are evaluating the effect of both ventilator strategies on biological markers of VILI.

The renal Doppler resistive index (RRI) is a noninvasive tool that has been used to assess renal perfusion in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. Many parameters have been described as influential on the values of renal RI. Mechanical ventilation is associated with significant increases in the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). Ventilator-induced kidney injury (VIKI) is believed to occur due to changes in hemodynamics that impair renal perfusion. The investigators hypothesized that patients who need mechanical ventilation should have a different response in RRI when different levels of Positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) are applied. Investigators wish to describe changing in RRI due to changes in PEEP and to verify whether these changes could partially explain the occurrence of VIKI

Retrospective analysis of hemoglobin concentrations and red cell transfusion thresholds in patients with an Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) admitted to an ARDS-center of a German university hospital.