Why some people don't regain strength after ARDS
Official title: Immune, hormonal, and muscle mitochondrial determinants of recovery in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome survivors
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11184324 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether lasting immune, hormone, and muscle energy problems explain why some adults who survived ARDS stay weak after leaving the hospital.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $684,777 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL164777-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11184324 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (aged 21 and older) who recently survived ARDS and are willing to attend follow-up visits at the study sites are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who have already fully recovered their physical function, are under 21, or cannot travel for in-person visits are unlikely to benefit from participation.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will enroll adults who survived ARDS at hospital discharge and follow them for 12 months. At three months they will bring a subgroup in for in-person testing to compare people who have recovered physically with those who have not. Tests will include blood tests for immune and hormone markers plus measures of muscle function and muscle energy (mitochondrial) performance. The work is being done at Columbia University and Johns Hopkins and aims to find biological reasons for ongoing weakness.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify treatable biological targets to help improve muscle strength and physical recovery after ARDS.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked inflammation and hormonal changes to muscle weakness after critical illness, but targeted treatments for ARDS-related long-term weakness remain largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baldwin, Matthew R — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Baldwin, Matthew R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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This grant aims to help doctors figure out which adults with ARDS are most likely to benefit from paralytic medications using detailed bedside data and electronic health records.
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Resilience endotypes and early ARDS detection using biomarkers and AI
A Duke University team is using biomarkers and smart data analysis to detect ARDS early and uncover patterns that predict how patients recover.
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PAR1’s role in lung lymphatics and a new therapy approach for ARDS
This grant explores how the thrombin receptor PAR1 affects lung lymphatics to understand and ultimately reduce lung injury in ARDS patients.
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Dead space and inhaled nitric oxide in pediatric ARDS
This project looks at whether measuring dead space and using inhaled nitric oxide can help improve outcomes for children with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
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Immune, hormone, and muscle energy links to recovery after ARDS
This project looks at why some ARDS survivors have ongoing weakness and how immune, hormone, and muscle energy factors might influence recovery.</n>
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Understanding why some people with severe lung injury get worse and how to tailor therapy
A patient-focused program that looks at why people develop sepsis-associated ARDS and how their bodies respond, with the goal of guiding better, personalized treatments.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.