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Review
. 2021 Dec 21:14:7225-7242.
doi: 10.2147/JIR.S334043. eCollection 2021.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and COVID-19: A Literature Review

Affiliations
Review

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and COVID-19: A Literature Review

Musaddique Hussain et al. J Inflamm Res. .

Abstract

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an overwhelming inflammatory disorder of the lung due to direct and indirect insults to the lungs. ARDS is characterized by increased vascular permeability, protein-rich edema, diffuse alveolar infiltrate, and loss of aerated lung tissue, leading to decreased lung compliance, tachypnea, and severe hypoxemia. COVID-19 is generally associated with ARDS, and it has gained prime importance since it started. The mortality rate is alarmingly high in COVID-19-related ARDS patients regardless of advances in mechanical ventilation. Several pharmacological agents, including corticosteroids, nitric oxide, neuromuscular blocker, anti-TNF, statins, and exogenous surfactant, have been studied and some are under investigation, like ketoconazole, lisofylline, N-acetylcysteine, prostaglandins, prostacyclin, and fish oil. The purpose of this review is to appraise the understanding of the pathophysiology of ARDS, biomarkers, and clinical trials of pharmacological therapies of ARDS and COVID-19-related ARDS.

Keywords: COVID-19; COVID-19-related ARDS; acute lung injury; acute respiratory distress syndrome.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest for this work.

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