Biomaterial Database

Surfactant in adult respiratory distress syndrome. 1987

R J Mason

Departmen of Medicine, National Jewish Hospital/National Asthma Center, Denver, Colorado 80206.

Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome is a catastrophic disease which is characterized by tachypnoea, arterial hypoxemia, reduced pulmonary compliance, and diffuse alveolar infiltrates. The pathology is that of diffuse alveolar damage which includes injury to both endothelial cells and type I epithelial cells. The major physiological abnormality is reduced pulmonary compliance. The available data indicate that one of the causes for the reduced compliance is altered surface tension in the distal airspaces. Pulmonary surface material isolated from patients with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome has an altered phospholipid composition. Part of the current therapy is to overcome the reduced compliance by mechanical ventilation while allowing the lung time to heal. In the future, exogenous surfactant may also be used as part of the therapy in selected severely ill patients.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008170	Lung Compliance	The capability of the LUNGS to distend under pressure as measured by pulmonary volume change per unit pressure change. While not a complete description of the pressure-volume properties of the lung, it is nevertheless useful in practice as a measure of the comparative stiffness of the lung. (From Best & Taylor's Physiological Basis of Medical Practice, 12th ed, p562)	Compliance, Lung,Compliances, Lung,Lung Compliances
D011663	Pulmonary Surfactants	Substances and drugs that lower the SURFACE TENSION of the mucoid layer lining the PULMONARY ALVEOLI.	Surfactants, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Surfactant,Surfactant, Pulmonary
D012128	Respiratory Distress Syndrome	A syndrome characterized by progressive life-threatening RESPIRATORY INSUFFICIENCY in the absence of known LUNG DISEASES, usually following a systemic insult such as surgery or major TRAUMA.	ARDS, Human,Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome,Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome,Pediatric Respiratory Distress Syndrome,Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Acute,Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult,Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Pediatric,Shock Lung,Distress Syndrome, Respiratory,Distress Syndromes, Respiratory,Human ARDS,Lung, Shock,Respiratory Distress Syndromes,Syndrome, Respiratory Distress
D003902	Detergents	Purifying or cleansing agents, usually salts of long-chain aliphatic bases or acids, that exert cleansing (oil-dissolving) and antimicrobial effects through a surface action that depends on possessing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties.	Cleansing Agents,Detergent Pods,Laundry Detergent Pods,Laundry Pods,Syndet,Synthetic Detergent,Agent, Cleansing,Agents, Cleansing,Cleansing Agent,Detergent,Detergent Pod,Detergent Pod, Laundry,Detergent Pods, Laundry,Detergent, Synthetic,Detergents, Synthetic,Laundry Detergent Pod,Laundry Pod,Pod, Detergent,Pod, Laundry,Pod, Laundry Detergent,Pods, Detergent,Pods, Laundry,Pods, Laundry Detergent,Synthetic Detergents
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man