ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)

Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), also known as "Hyaline membrane disease", is caused by the deficiency of lung surfactant in a pre-term infant due to the immaturity of the lungs. The risk of RDS is inversely related to the gestational age, and, most commonly occurs in infants less than 28 weeks of gestational age. Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome is associated with high morbidity and mortality in pre-term infants and considered one of the most common causes of neonatal death. Respiratory distress syndrome should be differentiated from the other causes of respiratory distress after birth, which will be discussed in details in this article.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a clinical condition characterized by acute inflammatory lung injury that leads to rapid onset of dyspnea and hypoxemia, with diffuse bilateral radiographic opacities due to the underlying alveolar damage. ARDS ultimately leads to respiratory failure. Acute lung injury (ALI) is a less severe form of the condition, but it can progress rapidly into ARDS.