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. 2014 Dec;2(1):8.
doi: 10.1186/2197-425X-2-8. Epub 2014 Feb 6.

Mechanical ventilation with heliox in an animal model of acute respiratory distress syndrome

Charlotte J Beurskens  1 , Hamid Aslami, Friso M de Beer, Joris Jth Roelofs, Margreeth B Vroom, Nicole P Juffermans
Affiliations

Mechanical ventilation with heliox in an animal model of acute respiratory distress syndrome

Charlotte J Beurskens et al. Intensive Care Med Exp. 2014 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Heliox has a lower density and higher diffusion capacity compared to oxygen-in-air. We hypothesized that heliox ventilation allows for a reduction in minute volume ventilation and inspiratory pressures needed for adequate gas exchange in an animal model of an acute lung injury.

Methods: After intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide (10 mg/kg), adult rats were randomized to ventilation with either a gas mixture of helium/oxygen (50:50%) or oxygen/air (50:50%). They were mechanically ventilated according to the ARDSnet recommendations with tidal volumes of 6 ml/kg and monitored with a pneumotachometer. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was analyzed for markers of lung injury, and embedded lung sections were histologically scored for lung injury.

Results: Heliox limited the increase in driving pressures needed to achieve preset tidal volumes, with a concomitant decrease in loss of compliance. Heliox did neither allow for reduced minute volume ventilation in this model nor improve gas exchange. Also, heliox did not reduce lung injury.

Conclusions: Heliox modestly improved respiratory mechanics but did not improve lung injury in this rat model of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Inflammatory parameters in an animal model of LPS-induced lung injury and healthy controls. The animals were ventilated with heliox or oxygen-in-air (N = 8 per group). (A) Cell count. (B) Protein levels. (C) IL-1β levels. (D) IL-6 levels. (E) TNF-α levels. (F) CINC-3 levels in BALF. Healthy animals are marked by open dots and LPS animals by black dots. Data are presented as mean ± SD. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Total histology score in an animal model of LPS-induced lung injury and healthy controls. The model was ventilated with heliox or oxygen-in-air (N = 8 per group). Healthy animals are marked by open dots and LPS animals by black dots. Data are mean ± SD. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Ventilatory parameters in an animal model of LPS–induced lung injury; changes versus baseline. (A) Minute volume ventilation (ml/min), (B) inspiratory pressures (cm H2O), (C) driving pressures (cm H2O), and (D) compliance (μl/cm H2O) in an animal model of LPS-induced lung injury and healthy controls, ventilated with heliox or oxygen-in-air (N = 8 per group). Healthy animals are marked by open dots and LPS animals by black dots. Data are presented as mean ± SD. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01.
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