Overview
Acute lung injury (ALI) is a clinical syndrome characterized by the rapid onset of severe respiratory impairment due to widespread inflammation and damage to the lung tissue. It is closely related to, and often considered a precursor of, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In ALI, the delicate air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs become inflamed and filled with fluid that leaks from damaged blood vessels, impairing the lungs' ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. This leads to hypoxemia (low blood oxygen levels), bilateral pulmonary infiltrates visible on chest imaging, and respiratory distress. The ICD-10 code S27.3 specifically references traumatic lung injury, reflecting that ALI can result from direct pulmonary trauma, though it also arises from indirect causes such as sepsis, pneumonia, aspiration, blood transfusions (transfusion-related acute lung injury, or TRALI), pancreatitis, and inhalation of toxic substances. Key symptoms include acute onset of shortness of breath (dyspnea), rapid breathing (tachypnea), low oxygen saturation, cyanosis, and diffuse crackles on lung auscultation. Patients often require supplemental oxygen and may rapidly progress to respiratory failure necessitating mechanical ventilation. The condition primarily affects the respiratory system but can lead to multi-organ dysfunction if severe or prolonged. Treatment is primarily supportive, as no specific pharmacological cure exists. The cornerstone of management includes lung-protective mechanical ventilation with low tidal volumes, conservative fluid management, prone positioning in severe cases, and treatment of the underlying cause. Corticosteroids may be considered in certain clinical scenarios. Despite advances in critical care, ALI/ARDS carries significant morbidity and mortality, with survivors sometimes experiencing long-term pulmonary function impairment and reduced quality of life.
Clinical phenotype terms— hover any for plain English:
Variable
Can begin at different ages, from infancy through adulthood
FDA & Trial Timeline
10 eventsHenry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
Shanghai Yidian Pharmaceutical Technology Development Co., Ltd. — PHASE2
Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University — NA
University of Pennsylvania — NA
Implicit Bioscience — PHASE2
Hospital El Cruce
Nguyen Dang Thu — NA
Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital
Data sourced from FDA regulatory filings and ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated periodically.
Treatments
No FDA-approved treatments are currently listed for Acute lung injury.
4 clinical trialsare actively recruiting — trials can provide access to cutting-edge therapies.
View clinical trials →Treatment Centers
8 centersBaylor College of Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🏥 NORDStanford Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Stanford Medicine
📍 Stanford, CA
🔬 UDNNIH Clinical Center Undiagnosed Diseases Program ↗
National Institutes of Health
📍 Bethesda, MD
🔬 UDNUCLA UDN Clinical Site ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
🔬 UDNBaylor College of Medicine UDN Clinical Site ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🔬 UDNHarvard/MGH UDN Clinical Site ↗
Massachusetts General Hospital
📍 Boston, MA
🏥 NORDMayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine ↗
Mayo Clinic
📍 Rochester, MN
👤 Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine
🏥 NORDUCLA Rare Disease Day Program ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
Travel Grants
No travel grants are currently matched to Acute lung injury.
Community
No community posts yet. Be the first to share your experience with Acute lung injury.
Start the conversation →Latest news about Acute lung injury
Disease timeline:
New recruiting trial: Association Between Renal Regional Oxygen Saturation Measured by Near-InfraRed Spectroscopy and Postoperative Renal Failure After Lung Transplantation Surgery: A Pilot Study
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Acute lung injury
New recruiting trial: Closed-loop syncHronization vErsuS convenTional Synchronization in sPontaneously Breathing Adult Nonivasive ventilationPatients
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Acute lung injury
New recruiting trial: Prone Positioning and Abdominal Binding on Lung and Muscle Protection in ARDS Patients During Spontaneous Breathing
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Acute lung injury
New recruiting trial: Early Use of Airway Pressure Release Ventilation (APRV) in ARDS
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Acute lung injury
New recruiting trial: Effects of Low Tidal Volume and Airway Pressure Release Ventilation on Lung Tissue Mechanics in ARDS Patients Under Mechanical Ventilation: A Prospective Randomized Crossover Study
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Acute lung injury
New recruiting trial: IPV and Lung Compliance in Invasively Ventilated Children
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Acute lung injury
New recruiting trial: Early Verticalization of the Patient With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Assessment of Feasibility and Safety.
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Acute lung injury
New recruiting trial: Mucosal Associated Invariant T Cell During Viral Pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Acute lung injury
New recruiting trial: JUST BREATHE, Breathing Life Into Innovative Therapies for ARDS- Cohort A: Vilobelimab
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Acute lung injury
New recruiting trial: Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and Conditioned Medium Mesenchymal Stem Cells as Adjuvant Therapy for Sepsis
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Acute lung injury
Caregiver Resources
NORD Caregiver Resources
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Mental Health Support
Rare disease caregiving can be isolating. Connect with counseling and peer support.
Family & Caregiver Grants
Financial assistance programs specifically for caregivers of rare disease patients.
Social Security Disability
Learn how rare disease patients may qualify for SSDI/SSI benefits.
Common questions about Acute lung injury
What is Acute lung injury?
Acute lung injury (ALI) is a clinical syndrome characterized by the rapid onset of severe respiratory impairment due to widespread inflammation and damage to the lung tissue. It is closely related to, and often considered a precursor of, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In ALI, the delicate air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs become inflamed and filled with fluid that leaks from damaged blood vessels, impairing the lungs' ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. This leads to hypoxemia (low blood oxygen levels), bilateral pulmonary infiltrates visible on chest imaging, and respira
Are there clinical trials for Acute lung injury?
Yes — 4 recruiting clinical trials are currently listed for Acute lung injury on UniteRare. See the clinical trials section on this page for phase, sponsor, and site details sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov.
Which specialists treat Acute lung injury?
25 specialists and care centers treating Acute lung injury are listed on UniteRare, sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov principal investigators, published research, and the NPPES NPI registry.