Effect of alveolar recruitment maneuvers combined with lung protection mechanical ventilation on lung injury in a rabbit model of acute respiratory distress syndrome

Objective To evaluate the effect of alveolar recruitment maneuvers (ARM) combined with lung protection mechanical ventilation on lung injury in a rabbit model of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) .Methods Twenty-four rabbits of both sexes weighing 2.5-3.5 kg were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=6 each):normal control group(group Ⅰ);ARDS group(group Ⅱ);ARDS+lung protection mechanical ventilation group (group Ⅲ) and ARDS + lung protection mechanical ventilation + ARM group (group Ⅳ). The animals were anesthetized with iv pentobarbital 20 mg/kg, tracheostomized and mechanically ventilated. Anesthesia was maintained with iv gammahydroxybutyrate infusion 100 mg·kg-1·h-1 and intermittent iv boluses of vecuronium. ARDS was induced with oleic acid 0.1 ml/kg injected iv over 15 min in Ⅱ ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ groups. In Ⅰand Ⅱ groups VT = 12 ml/kg, RR=30 bpm, I∶E=1.0=2.3, PEEP=0, FiO2=1, while in Ⅲ and Ⅳ groups VT=6 ml/kg, RR=30 bpm, I∶E=1.0=2.3, PEEP=airway pressure at lower inflection point+2 cm H2O, FiO2=1.ARM was performed by increasing the airway pressure to 30 cm H2O for 30 s once an hour in group Ⅳ. Arterial blood gas analysis was performed after each ARM. The animals were sacrificed at 1 h after the 3rd ARM. The lungs were removed for microscopic examination and determination of W/D lung weight ratio, TNF-α, IL-10 and MDA contents and MPO activity. TNF-α/IL-10 ratio was calculated. Results ARDS significantly decreased PaO2/FiO2 and increased TNF-α/IL-10 and W/D lung weight ratio, MPO activity and MDA content in the lung tissue. Lung protection mechanical ventilation significantly increased PaO2/FiO2 and decreased TNF-α/IL-10 and W/ D lung weight ratio, MPO activity and MDA content in the lung tissue. Lung protection mechanical ventilation + ARM significantly increased PaO2/FiO2 and decreased TNF-α/IL-10, W/D lung weight ratio, MDA content and MPO activity in group Ⅳ. Conclusion ARM combined with lung protection mechanical ventilation can further attenuate ARDS-induced lung injury by inhibiting inflammatory response. Key words: Respiration, artificial;  Atelectasis;  Positive-pressure respiration;  Respiratory distress syndrome, adult