Respiratory failure & ventilation
Distribution of airway pressure opening in the lungs measured with electrical impedance tomography (POET): a prospective physiological study
Authors' conclusion
AOPglobal mostly reflects the lowest opening pressure in the lung and frequently underestimates the highest regional AOP in mechanically ventilated patients with AHRF. A progressive slope change during the low-flow pressure-time curve indicates the presence of several and higher regional AOPs.
Study context
- Population
- Mechanically ventilated patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF)analysed
- Participants
- 36 participants
- Exposure
- Global airway opening pressure (AOP) vs regional (quadrantal) AOPs measured with electrical impedance tomography
- Outcome
- Global vs highest regional AOP
Methodological detailsRetrospectively registered
- Retrospectively registered
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- AOPglobal ≥ 5 cmH2O, patients
- 9 (25%)
- Regional AOPhighest ≥ 5 cmH2O, patients
- 19 (53%)
- AOPglobal vs AOPhighest (median [IQR], cmH2O)
- 3.0 [2.0-4.3] vs. 5.0 [2.8-8.3], P < 0.001
- AOPglobal similar to upper right quadrant AOP
- P = 0.182
- AOPglobal lower than AOPs of the other three quadrants
- P < 0.01 of each
- AOP dependent vs non-dependent ventilated lung (cmH2O)
- 4.0 [2.0-6.3] vs. 3.0 [2.0-5.0], P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Pressure-time curve slope-change pattern and AOPhighest–AOPglobal difference
- 'Progressive change' pattern, patients
- 17 (47%)
- AOPhighest–AOPglobal difference, 'progressive change' (cmH2O; maximum 8)
- 3.0 [2.0-4.0]
- AOPhighest–AOPglobal difference, 'no change' (cmH2O) vs progressive
- 1.0 [0-1.0], P < 0.001
- AOPhighest–AOPglobal difference, 'abrupt change' (cmH2O) vs progressive
- 1.0 [0-2.0], P = 0.003
Original publication
Distribution of airway pressure opening in the lungs measured with electrical impedance tomography (POET): a prospective physiological study. Crit Care. Published 16 January 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →