Research on Acute Lung Injury

Our major focus is to understand the pathophysiology of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
ARDS is a severe life-threatening disease that is characterized by a sudden onset, by non-hydrostatic pulmonary edema, by inflammation and by hypoxemia (PaO2/FiO2 < 300 mg Hg). The disease affects about 5% of hospitalized, mechanically ventilated patients (Esteban et al. 2008 AJRCCM 177: 170) and has a mortality that – depending on the severity of hypoxemia – ranges from 27%-45% (JAMA 2012; 307: 2526).