Respiratory mechanics and arterial blood gases in relation to survival

ABSTRACT

This study was performed on 37 patients presenting with acute respiratory failure, who were classified as 26 COPD patients with a mean age of 60.3 [range 31-76 years] and 11 patients with restrictive lung disease with a mean age of 42.2 [range 18-72 years]. Airway pressure [peak, plateau and mean airway pressures], lung mechanics and arterial blood gases were measured and compared in survivors [29 patients] and non-survivors [8 patients] as regards the initial measurements taken immediately after mechanical ventilation, final measurements and the pattern of changes throughout the course of mechanical ventilation. Comparing both groups, data showed that in the initial measurements, there was a highly significant difference in static compliance [cstat] and airway pressures [peak, plateau and mean airway pressure], but an insignificant difference was found in airway resistance, AutoPEEP, work rate and ABG. While, in the final measurements, with an improvement of the lung mechanics in survivors, there was a significant difference between the two groups in all the above-mentioned measurements, except ABG which still showed an insignificant difference