title: Hypercapnic acidosis is protective in an in vivo model of ventilator-induced lung injury.
abstract: To investigate whether hypercapnic acidosis protects against ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) in vivo, we subjected 12 anesthetized, paralyzed rabbits to high tidal volume ventilation (25 cc/kg) at 32 breaths per minute and zero positive end-expiratory pressure for 4 hours. Each rabbit was randomized to receive either an FI(CO(2)) to achieve eucapnia (Pa(CO(2)) approximately 40 mm Hg; n = 6) or hypercapnic acidosis (Pa(CO(2)) 80-100 mm Hg; n = 6). Injury was assessed by measuring differences between the two groups' respiratory mechanics, gas exchange, wet:dry weight, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid protein concentration and cell count, and injury score. The eucapnic group showed significantly higher plateau pressures (27.0 +/- 2.5 versus 20.9 +/- 3.0; p = 0.016), change in Pa(O(2)) (165.2 +/- 19.4 versus 77.3 +/- 87.9 mm Hg; p = 0.02), wet:dry weight (9.7 +/- 2.3 versus 6.6 +/- 1.8; p = 0.04), bronchoalveolar lavage protein concentration (1,350 +/- 228 versus 656 +/- 511 micro g/ml; p = 0.03), cell count (6.86 x 10(5) +/- 0.18 x 10(5) versus 2.84 x 10(5) +/- 0.28 x 10(5) nucleated cells/ml; p = 0.021), and injury score (7.0 +/- 3.3 versus 0.7 +/- 0.9; p < 0.0001). We conclude that hypercapnic acidosis is protective against VILI in this model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Washington, BB-1253 HSB Box 356522, Seattle, WA 98195-6522, USA. scottes@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Kregenow
authors.forename: Wayne J E
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lamm
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Starr
authors.forename: Emil Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hlastala
mesh_terms: D000142:Acidosis, Respiratory / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000502:physiology; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical / Q000009:adverse effects*
keywords: Non-programmatic