Can the Plateau Be Higher Than the Peak Pressure?

Individual response in patient's effort and driving pressure to variations in assistance during pressure support ventilation

BACKGROUND

During Pressure Support Ventilation (PSV) an inspiratory hold allows to measure plateau pressure (Pplat), driving pressure (∆P), respiratory system compliance (Crs) and pressure-muscle-index (PMI), an index of inspiratory effort. This study aims [1] to assess systematically how patient's effort (estimated with PMI), ∆P and tidal volume (Vt) change in response to variations in PSV and [2] to confirm the robustness of Crs measurement during PSV.

METHODS

18 patients recovering from acute respiratory failure and ventilated by PSV were cross-randomized to four steps of assistance above (+ 3 and + 6 cmH2O) and below (-3 and -6 cmH2O) clinically set PS. Inspiratory and expiratory holds were performed to measure Pplat, PMI, ∆P, Vt, Crs, P0.1 and occluded inspiratory airway pressure (Pocc). Electromyography of respiratory muscles was monitored noninvasively from body surface (sEMG).

RESULTS

As PSV was decreased, Pplat (from 20.5 ± 3.3 cmH2O to 16.7 ± 2.9, P < 0.001) and ∆P (from 12.5 ± 2.3 to 8.6 ± 2.3 cmH2O, P < 0.001) decreased much less than peak airway pressure did (from 21.7 ± 3.8 to 9.7 ± 3.8 cmH2O, P < 0.001), given the progressive increase of patient's effort (PMI from -1.2 ± 2.3 to 6.4 ± 3.2 cmH2O) in line with sEMG of the diaphragm (r = 0.614; P < 0.001). As ∆P increased linearly with Vt, Crs did not change through steps (P = 0.119).

CONCLUSION

Patients react to a decrease in PSV by increasing inspiratory effort-as estimated by PMI-keeping Vt and ∆P on a desired value, therefore, limiting the clinician's ability to modulate them. PMI appears a valuable index to assess the point of ventilatory overassistance when patients lose control over Vt like in a pressure-control mode. The measurement of Crs in PSV is constant-likely suggesting reliability-independently from the level of assistance and patient's effort.

Patient-Ventilator Synchrony

Patient-ventilator asynchrony develops when the ventilator output does not match the efforts of the patient and contributes to excess work of breathing, lung injury, and mortality. Asynchronies are categorized as trigger (breath initiation), flow (delivery of the breath), and cycle (transition from inspiration to expiration). Clinicians should be skilled at ventilator waveform analysis to detect patient-ventilator asynchronies and make informed ventilator adjustments. Ventilator overdrive suppresses respiratory drive and reduces asynchrony, while other adjustments specific to the asynchrony are also useful.

Phrenic Nerve Block and Respiratory Effort in Pigs and Critically Ill Patients with Acute Lung Injury

BACKGROUND

Strong spontaneous inspiratory efforts can be difficult to control and prohibit protective mechanical ventilation. Instead of using deep sedation and neuromuscular blockade, the authors hypothesized that perineural administration of lidocaine around the phrenic nerve would reduce tidal volume (VT) and peak transpulmonary pressure in spontaneously breathing patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

METHODS

An established animal model of acute respiratory distress syndrome with six female pigs was used in a proof-of-concept study. The authors then evaluated this technique in nine mechanically ventilated patients under pressure support exhibiting driving pressure greater than 15 cm H2O or VT greater than 10 ml/kg of predicted body weight. Esophageal and transpulmonary pressures, electrical activity of the diaphragm, and electrical impedance tomography were measured in pigs and patients. Ultrasound imaging and a nerve stimulator were used to identify the phrenic nerve, and perineural lidocaine was administered sequentially around the left and right phrenic nerves.

RESULTS

Results are presented as median [interquartile range, 25th to 75th percentiles]. In pigs, VT decreased from 7.4 ml/kg [7.2 to 8.4] to 5.9 ml/kg [5.5 to 6.6] (P < 0.001), as did peak transpulmonary pressure (25.8 cm H2O [20.2 to 27.2] to 17.7 cm H2O [13.8 to 18.8]; P < 0.001) and driving pressure (28.7 cm H2O [20.4 to 30.8] to 19.4 cm H2O [15.2 to 22.9]; P < 0.001). Ventilation in the most dependent part decreased from 29.3% [26.4 to 29.5] to 20.1% [15.3 to 20.8] (P < 0.001). In patients, VT decreased (8.2 ml/ kg [7.9 to 11.1] to 6.0 ml/ kg [5.7 to 6.7]; P < 0.001), as did driving pressure (24.7 cm H2O [20.4 to 34.5] to 18.4 cm H2O [16.8 to 20.7]; P < 0.001). Esophageal pressure, peak transpulmonary pressure, and electrical activity of the diaphragm also decreased. Dependent ventilation only slightly decreased from 11.5% [8.5 to 12.6] to 7.9% [5.3 to 8.6] (P = 0.005). Respiratory rate did not vary. Variables recovered 1 to 12.7 h [6.7 to 13.7] after phrenic nerve block.

CONCLUSIONS

Phrenic nerve block is feasible, lasts around 12 h, and reduces VT and driving pressure without changing respiratory rate in patients under assisted ventilation.

EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Reliability of plateau pressure during patient-triggered assisted ventilation. Analysis of a multicentre database

PURPOSE

An inspiratory hold during patient-triggered assisted ventilation potentially allows to measure driving pressure and inspiratory effort. However, muscular activity can make this measurement unreliable. We aim to define the criteria for inspiratory holds reliability during patient-triggered breaths.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Flow, airway and esophageal pressure recordings during patient-triggered breaths from a multicentre observational study (BEARDS, NCT03447288) were evaluated by six independent raters, to determine plateau pressure readability. Features of "readable" and "unreadable" holds were compared. Muscle pressure estimate from the hold was validated against other measures of inspiratory effort.

RESULTS

Ninety-two percent of the recordings were consistently judged as readable or unreadable by at least four raters. Plateau measurement showed a high consistency among raters. A short time from airway peak to plateau pressure and a stable and longer plateau characterized readable holds. Unreadable plateaus were associated with higher indexes of inspiratory effort. Muscular pressure computed from the hold showed a strong correlation with independent indexes of inspiratory effort.

CONCLUSION

The definition of objective parameters of plateau reliability during assisted-breath provides the clinician with a tool to target a safer assisted-ventilation and to detect the presence of high inspiratory effort.

Progress of mechanical power in the intensive care unit

Mechanical power of ventilation, currently defined as the energy delivered from the ventilator to the respiratory system over a period of time, has been recognized as a promising indicator to evaluate ventilator-induced lung injury and predict the prognosis of ventilated critically ill patients. Mechanical power can be accurately measured by the geometric method, while simplified equations allow an easy estimation of mechanical power at the bedside. There may exist a safety threshold of mechanical power above which lung injury is inevitable, and the assessment of mechanical power might be helpful to determine whether the extracorporeal respiratory support is needed in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. It should be noted that relatively low mechanical power does not exclude the possibility of lung injury. Lung size and inhomogeneity should also be taken into consideration. Problems regarding the safety limits of mechanical power and contribution of each component to lung injury have not been determined yet. Whether mechanical power-directed lung-protective ventilation strategy could improve clinical outcomes also needs further investigation. Therefore, this review discusses the algorithms, clinical relevance, optimization, and future directions of mechanical power in critically ill patients.

Direction and Magnitude of Change in Plateau From Peak Pressure During Inspiratory Holds Can Identify the Degree of Spontaneous Effort and Elastic Workload in Ventilated Patients

OBJECTIVES

Inspiratory holds with measures of airway pressure to estimate driving pressure (elastic work) are often limited to patients without respiratory effort. We sought to evaluate if measures of airway pressure during inspiratory holds could be used for patients with spontaneous respiratory effort during mechanical ventilation to estimate the degree of spontaneous effort and elastic work.

DESIGN

We compared the direction and degree of change in airway pressure during inspiratory holds versus esophageal pressure through secondary analysis of physiologic data.

SETTING

ICUs at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

PATIENTS

Children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome with evidence of spontaneous respiration while on pressure control or pressure support ventilation.

INTERVENTIONS

Inspiratory hold maneuvers.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

From airway pressure, we defined "plateau - peak pressure" as Pmusc, index, which was divided into three categories for analysis (< -1 ["negative"], between -1 and 1 ["neutral"], and > 1 cm H2O ["positive"]). A total of 30 children (age 36.8 mo [16.1-70.3 mo]) from 65 study days, comprising 118 inspiratory holds were included. Pmusc, index was "negative" in 29 cases, was "neutral" in 17 cases, and was "positive" in 72 cases. As Pmusc, index went from negative to neutral to positive, there was larger negative deflection in esophageal pressure -5.0 (-8.2 to 1.9), -5.9 (-7.6 to 4.3), and -10.7 (-18.1 to 7.9) cm H2O (p < 0.0001), respectively. There was a correlation between max negative esophageal pressure and Pmusc, index (r = -0.52), and when Pmusc, index was greater than or equal to 7 cm H2O, the max negative esophageal pressure was greater than 10 cm H2O. There was a stronger correlation between Pmusc, index and markers of elastic work from esophageal pressure (r = 0.84).

CONCLUSIONS

The magnitude of plateau minus peak pressure during an inspiratory hold is correlated with the degree of inspiratory effort, particularly for those with high elastic work. It may be useful to identify patients with excessively high effort or high driving pressure.

Driving Pressure Is Associated with Outcome during Assisted Ventilation in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THIS TOPIC

Higher driving pressure during controlled mechanical ventilation is known to be associated with increased mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.Whereas patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome are initially managed with controlled mechanical ventilation, as they improve, they are transitioned to assisted ventilation. Whether higher driving pressure assessed during pressure support (assisted) ventilation can be reliably assessed and whether higher driving pressure is associated with worse outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome has not been well studied.

WHAT THIS ARTICLE TELLS US THAT IS NEW

This study shows that in the majority of adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, both driving pressure and respiratory system compliance can be reliably measured during pressure support (assisted) ventilation.Higher driving pressure measured during pressure support (assisted) ventilation significantly associates with increased intensive care unit mortality, whereas peak inspiratory pressure does not.Lower respiratory system compliance also significantly associates with increased intensive care unit mortality.

BACKGROUND

Driving pressure, the difference between plateau pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), is closely associated with increased mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Although this relationship has been demonstrated during controlled mechanical ventilation, plateau pressure is often not measured during spontaneous breathing because of concerns about validity. The objective of the present study is to verify whether driving pressure and respiratory system compliance are independently associated with increased mortality during assisted ventilation (i.e., pressure support ventilation).

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study conducted on 154 patients with ARDS in whom plateau pressure during the first three days of assisted ventilation was available. Associations between driving pressure, respiratory system compliance, and survival were assessed by univariable and multivariable analysis. In patients who underwent a computed tomography scan (n = 23) during the stage of assisted ventilation, the quantity of aerated lung was compared with respiratory system compliance measured on the same date.

RESULTS

In contrast to controlled mechanical ventilation, plateau pressure during assisted ventilation was higher than the sum of PEEP and pressure support (peak pressure). Driving pressure was higher (11 [9-14] vs. 10 [8-11] cm H2O; P = 0.004); compliance was lower (40 [30-50] vs. 51 [42-61] ml · cm H2O; P < 0.001); and peak pressure was similar, in nonsurvivors versus survivors. Lower respiratory system compliance (odds ratio, 0.92 [0.88-0.96]) and higher driving pressure (odds ratio, 1.34 [1.12-1.61]) were each independently associated with increased risk of death. Respiratory system compliance was correlated with the aerated lung volume (n = 23, r = 0.69, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with ARDS, plateau pressure, driving pressure, and respiratory system compliance can be measured during assisted ventilation, and both higher driving pressure and lower compliance are associated with increased mortality.