Potential factors of interorgan signals in the development of pancreatitis-associated acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract

The incidence of the pulmonary complications in patients with acute pancreatitis is up to 60%, from mild hypoxaemia without clinical or radiological abnormalities to severe acute lung injury. Although a number of reviews has described clinical evidence of pancreatitis-associated lung injury (PALI), there is still a lack of information on potential interorgan signalling involved in the development of PALI. The present review discusses the potential factors that have been considered as candidates responsible for interorgan signalling coupling pancreatitis to lung injury. Inflammatory mediators produced from the pancreas, leucocyte system and extrapancreatic organs may directly or indirectly contribute to the high concentration in the circulation, activate circulating leucocytes, initiate the inflammatory responses of pulmonary resident cells or induce acute lung injury. Circulating leucocytes have been suggested to play an important role in interorgan signalling during the development of PALI, by producing ...