Table 1.
The baseline characteristics of the study population. Plateau pressure, respiratory system compliance and arterial blood gas data were measured during the study, standardised at 5 cmH2O PEEP.
| Characteristics | Value |
| Age – years | 66 ± 10 |
| Female sex – number (%) | 9 (30) |
| BMI – kg/m2 | 26 ± 8 |
| Tidal volume – ml/kg of predicted body weight | 8 ± 1 |
| Minute ventilation – L/minute | 7.5 ± 1.8 |
| Respiratory rate – breaths/minute | 14 ± 3 |
| Clinical PEEP – cmH2O | 8.3 ± 3.3 |
| Plateau pressure – cmH2O | 19 ± 4 |
| Respiratory system compliance – ml/cmH2O | 43 ± 18 |
| Respiratory system resistance – cmH2O/L/second | 22 ± 9 |
| PaO2/FiO2 – mmHg | 190 ± 71 |
| FiO2 | 0.50 ± 0.13 |
| PaCO2 – mmHg | 41 ± 9 |
| Arterial pH | 7.422 ± 0.061 |
| Cause of lung injury – number | |
| Pneumonia | 6 |
| Sepsis | 11 |
| Aspiration | 3 |
| Trauma | 5 |
| Other | 5 |
| Type of lung injury – number | |
| ARDS | 20 |
| Acute lung injury | 7 |
| Other (PaO2/FiO2 > 300 mmHg) | 3 |
ARDS = acute respiratory distress syndrome; BMI = body mass index; FiO2 = inspired oxygen fraction; PaCO2 = partial arterial pressure of carbon dioxide; PEEP = positive end expiratory pressure.