Acute lung injury (ALI) •hypoxemic respiratory failure caused by diffuse lung injury •hypoxemia, •non cardiogenic pulmonary edema, •low lung compliance •widespread capillary leakage Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) & severe manifestation of ALI ALI and ARDS characteristics: Bilateral pulmonary infiltrates on chest x-ray Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure< 18 mmHg PaO2/FiO2 < 300 mmHg (ALI) PaO2/FiO2 <200 mmHg (ARDS)

Table 2: Acute Lung Injury (ALI) and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) definition by the American European Consensus Conference (AECC).