End-expiratory lung volume during mechanical ventilation
Author Information
Author(s): Ido G Bikker, Jasper van Bommel, Dinis Reis Miranda, Jan Bakker, Diederik Gommers
Primary Institution: Erasmus MC
Hypothesis
The study aims to measure end-expiratory lung volume in mechanically ventilated ICU patients with different types of lung pathology at different PEEP levels and compare them with predicted values.
Conclusion
End-expiratory lung volume measured at 5 cmH2O PEEP was markedly lower than predicted sitting FRC values in all groups.
Supporting Evidence
- End-expiratory lung volume decreased significantly while PEEP decreased from 15 to 5 cmH2O.
- At 5 cmH2O PEEP, end-expiratory lung volume was only 66%, 42%, and 34% of the predicted sitting FRC in groups N, P, and S, respectively.
- A correlation between change in end-expiratory lung volume and change in dynamic compliance was found in group S.
Takeaway
Doctors measured how much air is left in the lungs after breathing out in patients on machines that help them breathe, and found it was much less than expected.
Methodology
End-expiratory lung volume measurements were performed at PEEP levels reduced sequentially (15, 10 and then 5 cmH2O) in 45 mechanically ventilated patients divided into three groups according to pulmonary condition.
Limitations
The study excluded patients with severe respiratory conditions and those requiring high PEEP levels, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Patients were divided into three groups: normal lungs (group N), primary lung disorder (group P), and secondary lung disorder (group S), with varying ages and conditions.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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