Paradoxical responses to positive end-expiratory pressure in patients with airway obstruction during controlled ventilation.
OBJECTIVE
To reevaluate the clinical impact of external positive end-expiratory pressure (external-PEEP) application in patients with severe airway obstruction during controlled mechanical ventilation. The controversial occurrence of a paradoxic lung deflation promoted by PEEP was scrutinized.


METHODS
External-PEEP was applied stepwise (2 cm H(2)O, 5-min steps) from zero-PEEP to 150% of intrinsic-PEEP in patients already submitted to ventilatory settings minimizing overinflation. Two commonly used frequencies during permissive hypercapnia (6 and 9/min), combined with two different tidal volumes (VT: 6 and 9 mL/kg), were tested.


METHODS
A hospital intensive care unit.


METHODS
Eight patients were enrolled after confirmation of an obstructive lung disease (inspiratory resistance, >20 cm H(2)O/L per sec) and the presence of intrinsic-PEEP (> or =5 cm H(2)O) despite the use of very low minute ventilation.


METHODS
All patients were continuously monitored for intra-arterial blood gas values, cardiac output, lung mechanics, and lung volume with plethysmography.


RESULTS
Three different responses to external-PEEP were observed, which were independent of ventilatory settings. In the biphasic response, isovolume-expiratory flows and lung volumes remained constant during progressive PEEP steps until a threshold, beyond which overinflation ensued. In the classic overinflation response, any increment of external-PEEP caused a decrease in isovolume-expiratory flows, with evident overinflation. In the paradoxic response, a drop in functional residual capacity during external-PEEP application (when compared to zero-external-PEEP) was commonly accompanied by decreased plateau pressures and total-PEEP, with increased isovolume-expiratory flows. The paradoxic response was observed in five of the eight patients (three with asthma and two with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) during at least one ventilator pattern.


CONCLUSIONS
External-PEEP application may relieve overinflation in selected patients with airway obstruction during controlled mechanical ventilation. No a priori information about disease, mechanics, or ventilatory settings was predictive of the response. An empirical PEEP trial investigating plateau pressure response in these patients appears to be a reasonable strategy with minimal side effects.
Respiratory and Emergency Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department, Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil.
Maria Paula
MP
Caramez
Joao B
JB
Borges
Mauro R
MR
Tucci
Valdelis N
VN
Okamoto
Carlos R R
CR
Carvalho
Robert M
RM
Kacmarek
Atul
A
Malhotra
Irineu Tadeu
IT
Velasco
Marcelo B P
MB
Amato
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration / Q000009:adverse effects*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical