Assessing Gas Exchange in Intensive Care Patients on a Ventilator

30 adult patients admitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary ICU, requiring invasive mechanical ventilation and with impaired gas exchange will be recruited and the following baseline demographic data will be recorded: cause of respiratory failure, APACHE II score, cardiovascular shock (presence / absence), duration of mechanical ventilation prior to inclusion, duration of respiratory failure prior to inclusion. Also the following baseline physiological data will also be recorded: FIO2, SaO2, PEEP, arterial blood pressure, central venous pressure, haemoglobin, PaO2, PaCO2, arterial pH and inotrope / vasopressor infusion rates.

The FIO2 will then be varied in random steps to 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6 and 0.65. After changing the FIO2 a 3-4 minute equilibration period will be allowed prior to taking an arterial blood gas sample for analysis. In the event of a PaO2 < 8kPa being recorded, further reductions in FIO2 will not be undertaken.

The data collected will then be utilised using a slide rule computer programme to generate FIO2 vs. SpO2 graphs. Other indices of gas exchange, e.g. PaO2/FIO2 ratios will also be generated from the data. Predicted versus actual PaO2 will be plotted and a correlation coefficient obtained.

Patients will then be followed for up to 5 days and depending on progression the same procedures will be repeated between days 3 and 5.

Inclusion criteria

• FIO2 on enrollment = 0.4-0.6, PEEP 5cm H2O, "Stable" respiratory failure - same or less FIO2 for 2 hours prior to enrollment.

Exclusion criteria

• Age < 16 years
• Pregnancy
• Known intracranial disease
• Prone position
• Nitric oxide therapy
• Pneumothorax/bronchopleural fistula/intercostal drain in situ
• Severe respiratory failure (FIO2 0.7), OR
• Severe haemodynamic instability (escalating inotrope requirements, fluid resuscitation > 1 litre/hour in 2 hours prior to commencing intervention, mean arterial blood pressure < 65 mmHg).