Respiratory mechanics in patients ventilated for critical lung disease

Respiratory mechanics, using flow interruption, was previously studied during the complete breath in healthy ventilated man, numerical techniques relieving constraints regarding flow pattern. The classical linear model of non-Newtonian behaviour was found to be valid. The present study was extended to subjects with critical lung disease. Subjects with acute lung injury (ALI; n = 2), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS; n = 4), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; n = 3) were studied with and without positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Functional residual capacity (FRC) was measured with sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) wash-out. The static pressure-volume (P-V) curve was linear at zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP), but nonlinear at PEEP. Its hysteresis was nonsignificant. In ALI/ARDS, PEEP increased lung volume by distension and recruitment, but only by distension in COPD. In ALI/ARDS, resistance was increased, at ZEEP. In COPD, resistance became extremely high during expiration at ZEEP. In ALI/ARDS at ZEEP, non-Newtonian behaviour, representing tissue stress relaxation and pendel-luft, complied with the classical linear model. At PEEP, the non-Newtonian compliance became volume-dependent to an extent correlated to the nonlinearity of the static P-V curve. In COPD, non-Newtonian behaviour was adequately explained only with a model with different inspiratory and expiratory behaviour. The classical model of the respiratory system is valid in ALI/ARDS at ZEEP. More advanced models are needed at PEEP and in COPD.