Association Between the "Best" Positive End-Expiratory Pressure Identified With Electrical Impedance Tomography and the Potential for Hyperinflation and Collapse Assessed With Lung Computed Tomography in Mechanically Ventilated Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) who are treated with mechanical ventilation to better understand how to set positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) to reduce lung damage. This observational study analyzes data already collected during routine clinical care without requiring any new interventions. The goal is to compare two methods of monitoring lung response to PEEP: lung computed tomography (CT), which measures lung structure, and electrical impedance tomography (EIT), which assesses lung function. Patients with ARF in the study undergo lung CT scans at PEEP levels of 20 and 5 cmH2O, followed by a decremental PEEP test using lung EIT, where PEEP is gradually decreased from 20 to 5 cmH2O in steps. The CT scans measure changes in lung hyperinflation and collapse, while EIT monitors regional lung compliance changes. These results are then analyzed offline to see if the "best" PEEP level determined by EIT matches the lung response measured by CT. Participants are involved through data collection during their usual clinical care, including lung CT and EIT as part of PEEP setting. The researchers measure how well the EIT method corresponds to CT findings within 72 hours from the start of mechanical ventilation. This study does not require extra treatment or procedures beyond routine care. Data analysis focuses on associations between lung imaging and functional responses to improve safer PEEP setting methods in mechanically ventilated patients.

Association Between EIT and CT During PEEP Titration in Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure