Objective: To assess the safety and the bedside feasibility of a new computerised method to record the static pressure-volume curves (Pst/V) of the respiratory system.
Design: The Pst/V curves were recorded in 13 medical patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). During the Pst/V curve tracing the following parameters were recorded: time required for the recording and the automatic analysis of the Pst/V curve and modifications in electrocardiograms, blood pressure, and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO(2)).
Setting: The study was performed in the intensive care unit of the University of Naples "Federico II".
Results: No statistically significant modifications in heart rate (HR, b min(-1)), blood pressure (BP, mmHg), and SaO(2) were observed between conditions at baseline (HR 97.2 +/- 17.7; BP 65.4 +/- 9.3; SaO(2) 93.6 +/- 2.0), during the recording (HR 99.8 +/- 19.5; BP 66.2 +/- 11.6; SaO(2) 93.7 +/- 2.4), and 2 min after the procedure (HR 98.2 +/- 17.8; BP 65.2 +/- 11.7; SaO(2) 93.7 +/- 1.9). The Pst/V curves were recorded in 8.38 +/- 1. 19 min and fully analysed in 2.69 +/- 0.85 min. Mean value of static compliance was 41.1 +/- 12.7 ml cmH(2)O(-1). A lower inflection point was found in ten patients (mean value 9.2 +/- 1.9 cmH(2)O).
Conclusions: In ARDS patients, the present new computerised method gave valuable data to ordinary intensivists and was shown to be safe, easy, and fast.