ALI/ARDS is a devastating complication occurring in critically ill patients, and despite extensive research ettects over the last 30 years, current mortality remains unacceptably high at approxjmately 30% to 40%. Although several different insults can ultimately lead to ALI/ARDS, the clinical definition of this syndrome is relatively simple, and involves commmon physiologic criteria. Indeed, it was these criteria(hypoxemia and decreased lung compliance without heart failure) together with the pathologic similarities to infants with ALI / ARDS is a devastating complication occurring in critically ill patients, and despite extensive research ettects over the last 30 years, current mortality remains unacceptably high at approxjmately 30% to 40%. Although several different insults can ultimately lead to ALI / ARDS, the Indeed, it was these syndromes is relatively simple and, and includes commmon physiologic criteria. Indeed, it was these commons