Fig. 1
A Comparison of mortality rates in patients included and excluded from the ARDSNetwork low VT trial (ARMA). The overall mortality rates of non-eligible patients who received standard of care mechanical ventilation (solid line; n = 2587), the 12 mL kg−1 tidal volume (VT) group (dotted line; n = 429), and the 6 mL kg−1 VT group (dashed line; n = 432) are shown. Mortality was consistent across the non-eligible patients for the six exclusion reasons (vertical bars) and similar to that in the 6 mL kg−1 VT group. Data provided to the Office of Human Research Protections from ARDSNet investigators from the ARMA trial for use at the June 9–11, 2003, consultants meeting. Available under the Freedom of Information Act [10]. B Pulmonary compliance plays a critical role in mortality with changes in VT size. There was a significant interaction between pulmonary compliance and mortality rate in the ARMA trial (p = 0.003). Raising VT increased mortality compared with lowering VT (filled circles; 42% vs. 29%) in patients with lower pulmonary compliance. In contrast, raising VT decreased mortality compared with lowering VT (unfilled circles; 21% vs. 37%) in patients with higher pulmonary compliance [10]. (Permission to republish requested)