Intervention
Population
Conclusion

RCT: ALVEOLI

ARDSNet
NEJM (2004)

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  • High PEEP (13 +/-3 cm H2O) vs. low PEEP (8 +/-3 cm H2O) set according to predetermined tables based on FiO2
  • 549 patients with ARDS
  • No significant difference in-hospital mortality between high PEEP and low PEEP groups (27.5% vs 24.9%, p = 0.48)

RCT: LOVS

Meade et al
JAMA (2008)

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  • Usual ventilation vs. open lung strategy (low volume ventilation, High PEEP, recruitment manoeuvres)
  • 983 patients with ARDS across 30 ICUs worldwide
  • Hospital mortality was similar between the 2 groups (Usual 40.4% vs open lung 36.4%, p=0.19.
  • The open lung strategy had:
    • Lower rates of refractory hypoxaemia (4.6% vs. 10.2%, p=0.01)
    • Lower deaths with hypoxaemia (4.2% vs. 8.9%, P=0.3)

RCT: EXPRESS

Mercat et al
JAMA (2008)

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  • Moderate PEEP (5-9cm H2O) vs. PEEP set to achieve plateau pressure 28-30 cm H2O
  • 767 patients with ALI across 37 ICUs in France
  • Hospital mortality was similar between the 2 groups (Low PEEP 31.2% vs High PEEP 27.8%, p=0.31
  • Higher PEEP group had a higher number of ventilator-free days (7 vs. 3, p=0.04

RCT

Kacmarek et al
Crit Care Med (2016)

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  • ARDSnet protocol vs. open lung approach
  • 1,874 patients with ARDS across 20 ICUs
  • Open lung group had improved oxygenation at 24-72 hours
  • No difference in:
    • ICU mortality (25% vs. 30%, p=0.53)
    • Ventilator free days (8 vs. 7, p=0.53)

RCT: ART

Calvacanti et al et al
JAMA (2017)

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  • Conventional ventilation vs. use of recruitment manoeuvre and PEEP titration based on compliance
  • 1010 patients with ARDS across 120 ICUs worldwide
  • Titrated PEEP group demonstrated:
    • Increased 6-month mortality (65.3% vs. 59.9%, p=0.04)
    • Decreased ventilator-free days (5.3 vs 6.4, p=0.03)
  • No difference in ICU LOS or hospital mortality

Meta-Analysis

Lu et al
Shock (2017)

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  • Conventional ventilation vs. open lung strategy
  • 15 RCTs involving 3,134 patients
  • Open lung strategy:
    • Improves hospital mortality (RR 0.88, p=0.009)
    • Improves ICU mortality (RR0.77, p=0.033)