Fig. 3.

Lung levels of cytokines.

After 3 h of mechanical ventilation, lung levels of cytokines were higher than in basal (BAS) non-ventilated animals (# P < 0.1 and ## P < 0.05 compared with BAS). LPS-instilled rats had higher MCP-1 and TNFα levels than saline-instilled rats († P < 0.1 and †† P < 0.05). LPS-instilled rats receiving 7 cmH₂O PEEP (LPS-7) presented lower levels of TNFα, IL-1β, MCP-1, and IL-10 than those receiving 2 cmH₂O PEEP (LPS-2). The application of 7 cmH₂O PEEP reduced IL-10 levels in both saline-instilled and LPS-instilled animals. Bars represent means ± SEM. ∗ P < 0.1 and ∗∗ P < 0.05 comparing 7 cmH₂O PEEP vs. 2 cmH₂O PEEP.