title: Liver dysfunction after lung recruitment manoeuvres during pressure-controlled ventilation in experimental acute respiratory distress.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Consequences of lung recruitment with prolonged high positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) ventilation for liver function are unclear. We therefore investigated liver dysfunction during two different ventilation treatment regimens of experimental acute respiratory distress syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen anaesthetised juvenile pietrain pigs were ventilated in the pressure-controlled mode (PCV) with an inspiratory fraction of oxygen (FiO2) of 1.0, a respiratory frequency of 30 per minute, a tidal volume of 6 ml/kg, and a PEEP of 5 cm H2O. After lung injury was induced by repeated pulmonary lavage with normal saline, animals were randomly assigned into two groups (n = 8 each) for a 24-hour trial: PCV (unchanged ventilation) and PCV with recruitment (PCV+R) (starting with a sustained inflation of 50 cm H2O for 1 minute, the ventilation was continued while increasing PEEP in increments of 3 cm H2O every 15 minutes as long as arterial oxygen tension [PaO2] improved). After recruitment, FiO2 was reduced to 0.4 and the PEEP was lowered every 15 minutes until PaO2 decreased to 12.0 to 14.7 kPa (90 to 110 torr). Serum levels of hyaluronic acid (HA), routine liver serum markers, and plasma disappearance rate of indocyanine green (ICG) were tested before and after lung injury, and 6 and 18 hours after randomisation. Liver serum markers were also tested at 24 hours. Paraffin sections of liver tissue stained by haematoxylin and eosin were made after euthanisation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PCV+R group exhibited more polymorphonuclear neutrophils and lymphocytes in the liver sinusoids: median score (interquartile range) of 1.5 (1.4 to 1.5) compared to 0.9 (0.7 to 1.1) (p = 0.01). Elevation of bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase was more prominent in the PCV+R group. Plasma disappearance rate of ICG indicated no liver dysfunction. HA levels in the PCV+R group gradually increased and were significantly higher (p < 0.001) at 6 and 18 hours with 59 (57 to 64) and 75 (66 to 84) ng/ml, respectively, than in the PCV group with 34 (32 to 48) and 41 (38 to 42) ng/ml, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PCV+R group showed a more prominent inflammatory reaction in their liver sinusoids accompanied by increased serum levels of liver enzymes and HA. Therefore, recruitment with higher PEEP levels for treatment of respiratory failure might lead to liver dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: University of Würzburg, Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. kredel_m@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kredel
authors.forename: Ralf M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Muellenbach
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: Hans-Hinrich
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Wilckens
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brederlau
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roewer
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wunder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D011897:Random Allocation; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013552:Swine; D013990:Tidal Volume
chemical_list: D006820:Hyaluronic Acid