Disease-a-month : DM
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The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common clinical catastrophe following acute lung injury. A multiplicity of clinical states can lead to ARDS. A new classification system has been proposed to deal with associated organ system failure and varying degrees of acute lung injury. ⋯ Lung regeneration requires weeks or months to become complete in those who survive. Thus far no individual pharmacological agents have been shown to alter prognosis. Controlled clinical trials are required to evaluate new and older pharmacological agents alone or in combination, and surfactant replacement.