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Updated: Jul 10, 2025

Ex Vivo Porcine Experimental Model for Studying and Teaching Lung Mechanics
Published on: April 19, 2024
Comprehensive study of mechanical power in controlled mechanical ventilation: Prevalence of elevated mechanical power
Alejandro González-Castro1, Alberto Medina Villanueva2, Patricia Escudero-Acha1
1Department of Intensive Medicine, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of elevated mechanical power (MP) values (>17J/min) used in routine clinical practice.
Design:
Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, analytical, multicenter, international study conducted on November 21, 2019, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. NCT03936231.
Setting:
One hundred thirty-three Critical Care Units.
Patients:
Patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for any cause.
Interventions:
None.
Main Variables Of Interest:
Mechanical power.
Results:
A population of 372 patients was analyzed. PM was significantly higher in patients under pressure-controlled ventilation (PC) compared to volume-controlled ventilation (VC) (19.20±8.44J/min vs. 16.01±6.88J/min; p<0.001), but the percentage of patients with PM>17J/min was not different (41% vs. 35%, respectively; p=0.382). The best models according to AICcw expressing PM for patients in VC are described as follows: Surrogate Strain (Driving Pressure) + PEEP+Surrogate Strain Rate (PEEP/Flow Ratio) + Respiratory Rate. For patients in PC, it is defined as: Surrogate Strain (Expiratory Tidal Volume/PEEP) + PEEP+Surrogate Strain Rate (Surrogate Strain/Ti) + Respiratory Rate+Expiratory Tidal Volume+Ti.
Conclusions:
A substantial proportion of mechanically ventilated patients may be at risk of experiencing elevated levels of mechanical power. Despite observed differences in mechanical power values between VC and PC ventilation, they did not result in a significant disparity in the prevalence of high mechanical power values.
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