Objective
To see whether in acute lung injury (ALI) 1) compression of the lungs caused by thoracoabdominal constriction degrades lung function and worsens ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), and 2) maintaining end-expiratory transpulmonary pressure (Pl) by increasing positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) reduces the deleterious effects of chest wall constriction.
Design
Experimental study in rats.
Setting
Physiology laboratory.
Interventions
ALI was induced in 3 groups of 9 rats by saline lavage. Nine animals immediately sacrificed served as control group. Group L had lavage only, group LC had the chest wall constricted with an elastic binder, and group LCP had the same chest constriction but with PEEP raised to maintain end-expiratory Pl. After lavage, all groups were ventilated with the same pattern for 1½ hr.
Measurements and Main Results
Pl, measured with an esophageal balloon-catheter, lung volume changes, arterial blood gasses and pH were assessed during mechanical ventilation (MV). Lung wet-to-dry ratio (W/D), albumin, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and MIP-2 in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and serum E-selectin and von Willebrand Factor (vWF) were measured at the end of MV. Lavage caused hypoxemia and acidemia, increased lung resistance and elastance, and decreased end-expiratory lung volume. With prolonged MV, lung mechanics, hypoxemia, and W/D were significantly worse in group LC. Pro-inflammatory cytokines except E-selectin were elevated in serum and BALF in all groups, with significantly greater levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in group LC, which also exhibited significantly worse bronchiolar injury and greater heterogeneity of airspace expansion at a fixed Pl than other groups.
Conclusions
Chest wall constriction in ALI reduces lung volume, worsens hypoxemia, and increases pulmonary edema, mechanical abnormalities, pro-inflammatory mediator release, and histological signs of VILI. Maintaining end-expiratory Pl at preconstriction levels by adding PEEP prevents these deleterious effects.
