Higher PEEP versus Lower PEEP Strategies for Patients with ARDS

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov October 30, 2017

Use of higher positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is unlikely to improve clinical outcomes among unselected patients with ARDS. We identified eight randomized trials comparing higher versus lower PEEP strategies, enrolling 2,728 patients with ARDS. Patients were 55 (±16) (mean ± SD) years old and 61% were men. Mean PEEP in the higher PEEP groups was 15.1 (±3.6) cm H2O as compared with 9.1 (±2.7) cm H2O in the lower PEEP groups.