Respiratory failure & ventilation
Diaphragm neurostimulation mitigates the adverse cardiopulmonary effects of positive pressure ventilation
Authors' conclusion
Diaphragm neurostimulation can mitigate the adverse cardiopulmonary effects of positive pressure ventilation. When combined with higher PEEP, diaphragm neurostimulation enhances dorsal lung recruitment without impairing hemodynamics.
Study context
- Population
- Patients enrolled in a clinical trial of diaphragm neurostimulation receiving positive pressure ventilation
- Participants
- 16 patients
- Comparison
- Passive ventilation alone vs Diaphragm neurostimulation
Methodological detailsrandomized cross-over
- Randomized cross-over
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Respiratory mechanics, distribution of ventilation and hemodynamics
- Ventilation to dorsal lung regions, neurostimulation vs none (median % of tidal volume; dose-dependent)
- 63% vs. 43%, p < 0.001
- Ventilation to dorsal lung regions, higher vs lower positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) (median % of tidal volume)
- 43% vs. 43%, p = 0.05
- Increase in end-expiratory lung volume with neurostimulation, only at higher PEEP
- 617 mL, p = 0.025 for interaction
- Respiratory system elastance decreased with neurostimulation, only at higher PEEP (cm H2O/(mL/kg))
- 1.4 to 1.2, p = 0.021 for interaction
- Cardiac index, no neurostimulation vs neurostimulation (L/min/m²)
- 2.4 vs. 2.7, p = 0.031
- Pulmonary artery transmural pressure not increased by neurostimulation
- p = 0.26
- Cardiac index without neurostimulation, lower vs higher PEEP (L/min/m²)
- 2.4 vs. 2.1, p = 0.28
Original publication
Diaphragm neurostimulation mitigates the adverse cardiopulmonary effects of positive pressure ventilation. Crit Care. Published 28 February 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →