Background

The effect of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) on intracranial pressure (ICP) dynamics in patients with acute brain injury (ABI) remains controversial. PEEP can benefit oxygenation by promoting alveolar recruitment, but its influence on ICP is complex. The primary aims of this study were to investigate 1) how lung recruitability influences oxygenation and 2) how lung recruitability and regional gas distribution, measured via recruitment-to-inflation (RI) ratio and electrical impedance tomography (EIT), affect ICP in response to PEEP changes in critically ill patients in their early phase of ABI.

Methods

Ten mechanically ventilated ABI patients were included. Pressure reactivity index (PRx) was estimated. Using RI manoeuvre and EIT, lung recruitability and gas distribution were assessed in response to a standardised PEEP change (from high to low levels, with a delta of 10 cmH₂O). Changes in ICP (ΔICP) were calculated between high and low PEEP. Lung inhomogeneity indices (global inhomogeneity index [GI] and local inhomogeneity index [LI]) were derived from EIT. Correlations between ventilatory variables and ICP were analysed.

Results

Blood oxygenation significantly decreased, going from high (14 [IQR: 12–15] cmH₂O) to low (4 [IQR: 2–5] cmH₂O) PEEP. Reducing PEEP significantly increased ICP (from 9 [IQR: 5–13] to 12 [IQR: 8–16] mmHg, p < 0.01), while cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) improved (from 71 [IQR:67–83] to 75 [IQR: 70–84] mmHg, p = 0.03) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) increased (from 79 [IQR: 69–95] to 84 [IQR: 76–99] mmHg, p < 0.01). The RI ratio correlated significantly with ΔICP (rho = 0.87, p < 0.01), as did Vrec% (proportion of recruited volume, rho = 0.65) and GI (rho = 0.5). LI did not correlate with ΔICP. PRx was 0.30 [IQR: 0.12–0.42], indicating a deranged cerebral autoregulation.

Conclusions

Patients with a higher potential for lung recruitability had a more beneficial effect of PEEP on oxygenation. These effects should be interpreted cautiously, given that lung recruitability and global inhomogeneity of gas distribution significantly influenced the intracranial response to PEEP in ABI patients. As indicated by MAP and CPP, PEEP may impact systemic haemodynamics and cerebral perfusion when cerebral autoregulation is deranged. These findings underscore the importance of multimodal (i.e. respiratory, cerebral and haemodynamics) monitoring for optimising ventilation strategies in ABI patients and provide a framework for future research.

Trial registration Registration number: NCT05363085, Date of registration: May 2022