Which of the following is NOT a cause of ARDS related to extra pulmonary factors?

In the context of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), it is important to differentiate between pulmonary and extrapulmonary factors that can contribute to its development. Extrapulmonary factors refer to conditions that originate outside of the lungs but still lead to ARDS through systemic inflammation or other mechanisms.

Inhalation injury, which is identified in this answer choice, is primarily a pulmonary factor because it directly causes damage to lung tissue resulting from the inhalation of toxic substances, heat, or smoke. This type of injury occurs within the respiratory system and leads to local inflammation, which is a core component in the development of ARDS.

On the other hand, trauma, acute pancreatitis, and sepsis are all known extrapulmonary causes of ARDS. Trauma can cause systemic inflammation and fluid shifts, leading to ARDS, while acute pancreatitis can result in systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), affecting multiple organs including the lungs. Sepsis is a well-known cause of ARDS due to the widespread inflammatory response that occurs throughout the body, impacting respiratory function even though the initial cause may not be pulmonary.

Thus, identifying inhalation injury as a direct lung-related cause clarifies why it does not belong in the set of extrapulmonary