Oxygen delivery and uptake in the adult respiratory distress syndrome. Lack of relationship when measured independently in patients with normal blood lactate concentrations.

This study was designed to determine whether acute alterations in oxygen delivery (DO2) induced by the institution of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) would affect oxygen uptake (VO2) in patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In 8 patients with ARDS who exhibited normal blood lactate concentrations, we evaluated the relationship between DO2 and VO2 during 3 consecutive periods: intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV), continuous positive pressure ventilation (CPPV) with a 10 cm H2O PEEP, and finally CPPV with volume loading. Oxygen uptake was measured directly with a mass spectrometer system. Oxygen delivery was calculated as the product of cardiac output (thermodilution) and arterial blood oxygen content (Lex-O2-Con analyzer). By comparison with the IPPV period, application of PEEP led to a decrease of DO2, which returned to baseline values when volume loading was added to PEEP. In none of the patients did VO2 parallel the changes of DO2. They demonstrated, therefore, a properly enhanced oxygen extraction during the PEEP-induced decrease of DO2. We conclude that, when measured independently, DO2 and VO2 are not correlated in patients with ARDS with normal blood lactate who are mechanically ventilated with PEEP.