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Table 4 Possible reasons for surfactant abnormalities in acute respiratory distress syndrome/acute lung injury

From: Clinical review: Exogenous surfactant therapy for acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome - where do we go from here?

Reduced surfactant synthesis and recycling by injured type II cells

Increased breakdown by hydrolysis and proteolysis

Oxidative injury by reactive oxygen species

Dilution of surfactant material by florid oedema/fluid

Dysfunctional surfactant film formation due to accumulation of plasma constituents

Inhibition by competitive adsorption of plasma proteins

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Critical Care

ISSN: 1364-8535