Carolyn Calfee & Michael Matthay Part 1: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: An Overview

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a life threatening condition with few effective treatment options. Preliminary studies using mesenchymal stem cells, or stromal cells, to treat ARDS have shown promise with decreased levels of bacteria in the lungs, reduced pulmonary edema and improved oxygenation. In Part 1, Dr. Calfee begins by explaining that acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is pulmonary edema, or fluid in the lungs, not due to heart failure. It is a condition that affects 200,000 people/year in the USA with a 30-40% mortality rate. During ARDS, there are many cellular changes with complex pathophysiology making it extremely difficult to treat. Currently, patients are treated by ventilation with low tidal volume and fluid conservative therapy as many pharmacological interventions have failed. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), however, may hold promise as a treatment.