The number one killer of patients in intensive care unit facilities in the United States, ARDS or acute respiratory distress syndrome is a life-threatening medical condition in which patients experience severe shortness of breath and oxygen starvation.

Though common in people who have lung disease, people with normal lungs can also be vulnerable to ARDS following severe trauma or infection.

As reported in the January 19 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh researchers have demonstrated that low-dose carbon monoxide administered in conjunction with oxygen therapy significantly inhibits oxygen-induced damage to lung cells.

According to lead investigator Augustine Choi, M.D., professor of medicine and the chief of the division of pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine:

"Giving ARDS patients almost pure oxygen over a prolonged period may be a double-edged sword. It saves their life in the short term, but long-term exposure appears to cause significant damage to many cell types including the epithelial and endothelial cells of the lung.

However, by administering oxygen mixed with a very small amount of carbon monoxide, we may be able to significantly reduce such oxygen-associated damage and cell death."

Find more details from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.