Effects of tidal volume on work of breathing during lung-protective ventilation in patients with acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome*

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Abstract
To assess the effects of step-changes in tidal volume on work of breathing during lung-protective ventilation in patients with acute lung injury (ALI) or the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Prospective, nonconsecutive patients with ALI/ARDS. Adult surgical, trauma, and medical intensive care units at a major inner-city, university-affiliated hospital. Ten patients with ALI/ARDS managed clinically with lung-protective ventilation. Five patients were ventilated at a progressively smaller tidal volume in 1 mL/kg steps between 8 and 5 mL/kg; five other patients were ventilated at a progressively larger tidal volume from 5 to 8 mL/kg. The volume mode was used with a flow rate of 75 L/min. Minute ventilation was maintained constant at each tidal volume setting. Afterward, patients were placed on continuous positive airway pressure for 1–2 mins to measure their spontaneous tidal volume. Work of breathing and other variables were measured with a pulmonary mechanics monitor (Bicore CP-100). Work of breathing progressively increased (0.86 ± 0.32, 1.05 ± 0.40, 1.22 ± 0.36, and 1.57 ± 0.43 J/L) at a tidal volume of 8, 7, 6, and 5 mL/kg, respectively. In nine of ten patients there was a strong negative correlation between work of breathing and the ventilator-to-patient tidal volume difference (R = −.75 to −.998). The ventilator-delivered tidal volume exerts an independent influence on work of breathing during lung-protective ventilation in patients with ALI/ARDS. Patient work of breathing is inversely related to the difference between the ventilator-delivered tidal volume and patient-generated tidal volume during a brief trial of unassisted breathing.