title: Is pulmonary resistance constant, within the range of tidal volume ventilation, in patients with ARDS?
abstract: When managing patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), respiratory system compliance is usually considered first and changes in resistance, although recognized, are neglected. Resistance can change considerably between minimum and maximum lung volume, but is generally assumed to be constant in the tidal volume range (V(T)). We measured resistance during tidal ventilation in 16 patients with ARDS or acute lung injury by the slice method and multiple linear regression analysis. Resistance was constant within V(T) in only six of 16 patients. In the remaining patients, resistance decreased, increased or showed complex changes. We conclude that resistance within V(T) varies considerably from patient to patient and that constant resistance within V(T) is not always likely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mols
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benzing
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lichtwarck-Aschoff
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guttmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008170:Lung Compliance / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D013990:Tidal Volume