Systemic administration of drag-reducing polymers may be a novel and effective treatment for acute lung injury

Abstract

Over the past several decades, blood-soluble drag reducing polymers DRPs) have been shown to significantly enhance hemodynamics and improve hemorheology in various animal models when added to blood at nanomolar concentrations. Meanwhile, many more researchers appreciate that hemorheology abnormality underlies in acute lung injury (ALI) pathogenesis, especially in neutrophils extravasation mechanism. Therefore, we hypothesize that owing to DRPs' peculiarity to reduce microvascular resistance increase blood flow, and so on, systemic administration of DRPs may be a novel and effective treatment for ALI.