Table 1.

Respiratory and hemodynamic data in 17 mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19, before and after PEEP reduction

	Before	After	Difference between before and after (95% CI)a	P value
PEEP, cm H2O	15.6 ± 1.7	11.1 ± 1.9	4.5 (4.0 to 5.0)	< 0.001
PaO2/FiO2, mm Hg	115.8 ± 30.5	121.9 ± 26.3	− 6.1 (− 13.8 to 1.6)	0.11
PaCO2, mm Hg	49.7 ± 10.4	42.9 ± 5.6	6.8 (3.4 to 10.1)	0.001
Cst, ml/cm H2O	60.0 ± 8.3	63.2 ± 7.4	− 3.2 (− 4.9 to − 1.5)	0.001
Noradrenaline, μg/kg/min	0.21 ± 0.12	0.08 ± 0.08	0.13 (0.09 to 0.16)	< 0.001
MAP, mm Hg	67.2 ± 6.1	69.1 ± 2.6	− 1.9 (− 4.4 to 0.5)	0.11
Fluid balance, ml	1980 ± 764b	942 ± 331c	1039 (760 to 1317)	< 0.001

Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation

^aData are expressed as mean difference [95% confidence interval (CI)]; ^bfluid balance during 12 h before PEEP reduction; ^cfluid balance during 12 h following PEEP reduction

PEEP positive end-expiratory pressure, PaO₂ partial pressure of arterial oxygen, FiO₂ fraction of inspired oxygen, PaCO₂ partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide, Cst static compliance of the respiratory system, MAP mean arterial pressure