Grant: Knowledge Synthesis Grant

Acute lung injury is a devastating illness seen in the intensive care unit that is associated with exaggerated and uncontrolled inflammation, has a mortality rate of approximately 30-60 percent, and substantial impaired physical, psychological, and emotional function for survivors of this illness. Stem cells represent a potentially exciting therapy for this condition because these cells appear to have a dramatic effect on inflammation. Several decades of research have been conducted for acute lung injury and thus far, there have been no new successful drug therapies. Hence, novel therapies are required to reduce death and improve the function for survivors of this illness. No human clinical trials have yet examined the use of stem cells in this context. Thus, before proceeding to a clinical trial, it is important to examine all of the animal experiments that have been undertaken comparing the use of stem cells versus a control to understand if the use of these cells improves the outcome of these animals without causing serious adverse events. The objective of our CIHR application entitled "Efficacy and Safety of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Pre-Clinical Acute Lung Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" is to examine the strength of the experimental evidence. Our rigorous review of the animal experiments examining stem cells for the treatment of acute lung injury will also help to identify where the knowledge gaps remain and determine whether there is sufficient experimentation completed to proceed to a clinical trial.