Who we are

The Clinical Trials Network for the Prevention and Early Treatment of Acute Lung Injury (PETAL) is a network of 12 Clinical Centers (CC) and one Clinical Coordinating Center (CCC) funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to develop and conduct randomized controlled clinical trials to prevent or treat Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). The Network will test new treatments or approaches with the potential to improve important clinical outcomes of patients with ARDS and for patients at risk for developing ARDS. This project will build on the strengths and accomplishments of the NHLBI funded Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Clinical Trial Network (ARDSNet) and emergency/acute care medicine research groups to focus on prevention and earlier intervention. PETAL will forge new partnerships and approaches by using a teamwork approach; allowing clinicians from many areas to work together in the course of the project.

Goals of the PETAL Network

• Develop new innovative approaches to prevent and improve the outcomes of patients who are at risk for ARDS including patients in shock or respiratory failure from sepsis.
• Build on findings from the ARDS Network to develop earlier treatments for patients with ARDS
• Develop collaborative working relationships between pulmonary/critical care and emergency department disciplines
• Establish a collection of biospecimens to aid both network investigators and the greater research community in studying the disease process in critically ill patients and finding better ways to treat them.
• Seek input from the international emergency and critical care community