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The results show that improved lung aeration following an increase in PEEP is not always consistent with reduced shunt and V/Q mismatch. Non-aerated tissue decreased with increased PEEP in all patients, and hyperinflated tissue increased only in patients with a detrimental response in shunt and V/Q mismatch. Three distinct responses to increase in PEEP were observed in values of shunt and V/Q mismatch: a beneficial response in seven patients, where shunt decreased without increasing high V/Q a detrimental response in four patients where both shunt and high V/Q increased and a detrimental response in a patient with reduced shunt but increased high V/Q mismatch. Changes in shunt and normally aerated tissue were significantly correlated ( r = − 0.665, p = 0.018). Increasing PEEP resulted in reduced values of pulmonary shunt and the percentage of non-aerated tissue, and an increased percentage of normally aerated tissue ( p < 0.05). Values of pulmonary shunt and low and high V/Q mismatch were calculated by a model-based method from measurements of oxygenation, ventilation, and metabolism taken at different inspired oxygen levels and an arterial blood gas sample.
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Lung aeration was measured by computed tomography. In this preliminary study, 12 ARDS patients were subjected to recruitment maneuvers followed by setting PEEP at 5 and then either 15 or 20 cmH 2O.
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This study aimed to investigate the association between changes in shunt, low and high ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) mismatch, and computed tomography-measured lung aeration following an increase in PEEP in patients with ARDS. Several studies have found only a weak to moderate correlation between oxygenation and lung aeration in response to changes in PEEP.
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