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Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a devastating disease that causes substantial morbidity and mortality. Mechanical ventilation can worsen lung injury, whereas ventilatory strategies that reduce lung stretch, resulting in a "permissive" hypercapnic acidosis (HCA), improve outcome. HCA directly reduces nonsepsis-induced lung injury in preclinical models and, therefore, has therapeutic potential in these patients. These beneficial effects are mediated via inhibition of the host immune response, particularly cytokine signaling, phagocyte function, and the adaptive immune response. Of concern, these immunosuppressive effects of HCA may hinder the host response to microbial infection. Recent studies suggest that HCA is protective in the earlier phases of bacterial pneumonia-induced sepsis but may worsen injury in the setting of prolonged lung sepsis. In contrast, HCA is protective in preclinical models of early and prolonged systemic sepsis. Buffering of the HCA is not beneficial and may worsen pneumonia-induced injury.

Original publication

DOI

10.1097/aln.0b013e3181ca361f

Type

Journal

Anesthesiology

Publication Date

02/2010

Volume

112

Pages

462 - 472

Addresses

Department of Anaesthesia, Clinical Science Institute, National University of Ireland-Galway, Galway, Ireland.

Keywords

Humans, Sepsis, Lung Diseases, Pneumonia, Acidosis, Critical Illness, Hypercapnia