Pintado 2003.

Trial name or title	Pilot study of positive end‐expiratory pressure in acute respiratory distress syndrome (PEEP‐HUPA).
Methods	Randomized controlled pilot trial.
Participants	Included: participants with ARDS after 24 hours under mechanical ventilation. Excluded: age < 18 years, pregnancy, neuromuscular diseases, intracranial hypertension (head trauma), left ventricular dysfunction, mechanical ventilation for longer than 72 hours, previous barotrauma, participants with terminal stage of an illness and high risk of mortality within 90 days, participants who refused to consent to the study.
Interventions	In both groups: MV: VT of 6 mL/kg PBW; plateau pressure ≤ 35 cm H2O, respiratory rate (breaths/min) 30 to 35 to maintain a pH of 7.30 to 7.45 and FIO2 to optimize SpO2 between 88% and 95% or PaO2 between 55 and 80 mm Hg. PEEP: Compliance‐guided PEEP group: The PEEP level is programmed on a daily basis, according to the method described by Suter in 1978. The static compliance (Cst) is calculated at different levels of PEEP at a constant VT. The maximum value of Cst in individual patients is considered to be the best PEEP. FIO2‐driven‐PEEP group: PEEP/FIO2 combination.
Outcomes	Primary: evolution of arterial oxygenation during the 28 days after study randomization. Secondary:mortality at day 28, ventilator‐free days.
Starting date	January 2003.
Contact information	María del Consuelo Pintado, Critical Care Unit, Universitary Hospital Príncipe de Asturias, Spain.
Notes	This study has been completed.