Acute lung injury

Abstract

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)/acute lung injury is a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. ARDS is an acute syndrome of lung inflammation and increased permeability associated with severe hypoxia and bilateral infiltrates on chest radiographs with no evidence of left heart failure. This chapter reviews the evidence for genetic determinants in acute lung injury and ARDS with a focus on potential candidate gene polymorphism that may be important in the development and outcome of ARDS. © 2006 Humana Press Inc.