title: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) complicating influenza A/H1N1v infection--a clinical approach.
abstract: ARDS is defined as an acute inflammatory syndrome characterized with bilateral parenchymal lung infiltrates on chest radiograph and PaO2/FiO2 ratio<200 resulting from causes other than acute left ventricular dysfunction. Inflammatory lung lesions may be induced by different disorders, with sepsis being the leading cause of ARDS. Other causes include infectious pneumonia, aspiration of gastric contents, drugs, severe trauma, fat embolism, surface burn, massive blood transfusion. Influenza A/H1N1 infection seems to be responsible for the development of extremely severe type of ARDS with poor response to routine treatment. Despite great progress in the management of ARDS with novel agents and sophisticated techniques, including antimicrobial drugs, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, prostaglandins, nitric oxide, prostacyclin, exogenous surfactant administration and activated protein C, supportive treatment based mostly on advanced mechanical ventilation in the intensive care units seems to be the most important for the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Witczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prystupa
authors.affiliation: II Department of Radiology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kurys-Denis
authors.affiliation: II Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borys
authors.affiliation: II Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Mirosław
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Czuczwar
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Biological Threat Identification and Countermeasures Centre, Pulawy, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niemcewicz
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Biological Threat Identification and Countermeasures Centre, Pulawy, Poland.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kocik
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Pediatric Dermatology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michalak
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Pediatric Dermatology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Aldona
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pietrzak
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Pediatric Dermatology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Grażyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chodorowska
authors.affiliation: II Department of Radiology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Witold
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Krupski
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mosiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomasiewicz
mesh_terms: D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*