Positive end-expiratory pressure induced changes in airway driving pressure in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome patients

Table 1 Characteristics of patients with C-ARDS enrolled in the PEEP titration

Patients’ characteristics	All COVID-19	J-shaped n = 126	U-shaped n = 40	Inverted J-shaped n = 18	p value
Age, years, n = 184	60.04 ± 15.89	60.37 ± 15.94	59.20 ± 17.30	59.67 ± 12.68	0.915
Male, n (%), n = 184	127 (69.02%)	92 (72.44%)	25 (62.50%)	10 (55.55%)	0.160
Body mass index, kg/m², n = 183	29.02 ± 6.43	27.48 ± 6.65^a	30.16 ± 6.95^a,b	35.89 ± 8.67^b	< 0.001
Comorbidities, n (%), n = 69	44 (63.8%)	30 (65.2%)	11 (68.8%)	3 (42.9%)	0.500
Hypertension, n (%)	38 (55.1%)	24 (52.2%)	11 (68.8%)	3 (42.9%)	0.422
Diabetes mellitus, n (%)	29 (42%)	18 (39.1%)	8 (50%)	3 (42.9%)	0.807
SOFA, n = 143	5.43 ± 4.03	5.17 ± 3.04	5.69 ± 3.39	6.53 ± 3.06	0.262
PEEP at baseline n = 114	10 (10–14)	10 (10–14)^a,c	12 (10–15.5)^a	15 (10.5–19.5)^c	< 0.05
FiO₂ at baseline, n (%), n = 184	80 (60–100)	70 (60–100)^a	100 (70–100)^a	95 (60–100)	< 0.05
PaCO₂ at baseline, mmhg, n = 75	51.6 ± 11.9	51.4 ± 11.1	54.2 ± 13.2	47.1 ± 14.4	0.410
Respiratory rate at baseline, breaths/min, n = 75	20 (20–25)	20 (20–25)	24 (20–24.5)	20 (20–20)	0.170
Minute ventilation at baseline, L/min, n = 75	8.1 ± 2.0	8.3 ± 2.0	8.1 ± 1.7	6.8 ± 1.7	0.180

Continuous variables are expressed as mean and standard deviation or median and interquartile range, according to normality distribution. A one-way ANOVA or the Kruskal–Wallis test was used for the comparison between three groups with a respective post hoc analysis. The letters a, b and c express values that are statistically different. COVID-19, coronavirus disease-19; SOFA, sequential organ failure assessment score; PEEP, positive end-expiratory pressure; dP_aw, airway driving pressure; PaO₂/FiO₂, partial pressure of arterial oxygen and fraction of inspired oxygen ratio; FiO₂, fraction of inspired oxygen; PaCO₂, partial pressure of carbon dioxide

ISSN: 1364-8535