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respiratory distress syndrome

American  
[res-per-uh-tawr-ee di-stres sin-drohm, -druhm] / ˈrɛs pər əˌtɔr i dɪˈstrɛs ˌsɪn droʊm, -drəm /

noun

Pathology.
  1. Also called hyaline membrane disease.  an acute lung disease of the newborn, occurring primarily in premature babies and babies born to ill mothers, characterized by rapid breathing, flaring of the nostrils, inelastic lungs, edema of the extremities, and in some cases the formation of a hyaline membrane on the lungs caused by a lack of surfactant in the immature lung tissue. RDS

  2. acute respiratory distress syndrome. RDS


Etymology

Origin of respiratory distress syndrome

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Among the children who died from flu last season, the most common complications experienced before death were shock or sepsis, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, seizures and damage to the brain.

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 23, 2025

Other diseases that can cause CRS include sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome, COVID-19 infection, and ischemia.

From Science Daily Jan. 17, 2024

Without treatment, malaria can also lead to seizures, anemia, kidney damage, acute respiratory distress syndrome and even death.

From Washington Times Oct. 6, 2023

Ismail died from acute respiratory distress syndrome in the early hours of 30 March 2020.

From BBC Dec. 6, 2022

This type of scarring can occur in chronic lung diseases, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or as a result of severe lung damage in a condition called acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS.

From Salon Nov. 11, 2022

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