Effects of intrinsic PEEP on pulmonary gas exchange in mechanically-ventilated patients

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEPi) on pulmonary gas exchange in mechanically-ventilated patients, by comparing the effects of similar levels (0.8-0.9 kPa) of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and PEEPi. Ten patients with acute respiratory failure, without chronic airway disease, were studied with three ventilatory modes: 1) intermittent positive pressure ventilation with zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP mode); 2) continuous positive pressure ventilation with PEEP set by the ventilator (PEEP mode); and 3) intrinsic PEEP elicited by adequate shortening of the expiratory time (PEEPi mode). Cardiorespiratory variables (e.g. respiratory compliance and resistance, arterial and mixed venous blood gases, cardiac output, pulmonary capillary pressure, oxygen delivery) were measured during each ventilatory mode. Compared to ZEEP, both PEEP and PEEPi decreased cardiac output while increasing arterial oxygen tension (PaO2). However, the improvement of PaO2 was more consistent (8 out of 10 patients), and larger (+2.1 kPa, on average, p < 0.05) with PEEP than with PEEPi (5 out of 10 patients, and +1.4 kPa, on average, NS). Since the effects of PEEP and PEEPi on ventilation, lung volume, compliance, cardiac output (QT), mixed venous oxygen tension (PvO2) and oxygen consumption (VO2) were similar, we attributed the less favourable impact of PEEPi on PaO2 to a less homogeneous distribution of PEEPi between lung units with different time constant, and hence to a more uneven distribution of the inspired gas.

SMART Trigger versus Flow and Pressure trigger performance during auto-PEEP

“…Commonly, this is seen in patients receiving high tidal volumes, high respiratory rates or those who have obstructive physiology such as in COPD or asthma. A study by Natalini and colleagues 2 found that up to 47% of patients experience auto-PEEP of 1-6 cmH2O. Even in patients ventilated without a history of obstructive physiology such as ARDS, and sepsis, auto-PEEP of up to 4.1 cmH2O was found to occur in up to 35% of patients.…”