New therapeutic strategies in ARDS

Abstract

Treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has been subject to many researches, sometimes leading to intense controversy. New findings in this field are varied. Effects on prognosis of commonly used treatments for ARDS have recently been investigated. Consistently, prone position, previously known to improve oxygenation without effect on mortality, has been shown to improve survival of the most severely hypoxemic patients. Administration of neuromuscular blocking agents in the acute phase of ARDS has been also shown to be beneficial on survival. In contrast, the exact place of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in ARDS management remains to be defined despite data suggesting its possible efficiency. In addition, a new era of research has emerged with the advent of cell therapy. Mesenchymal stem cells are able to both promote alveolar epithelium repair and prevent infections. Their efficacy in animal models of ARDS still needs to be confirmed by clinical trials. Finally, other promising therapies including beta-2 adrenergic agonists and omega-3 fatty acids have shown significant limitations in large clinical studies on ARDS.