Pathophysiological Markers of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Severity Are Correlated With Ventilation-Perfusion Mismatch Measured by Electrical Impedance Tomography

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) mismatch measured by electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is associated with the outcome of patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to verify the correlation between relevant pathophysiological markers of ARDS severity and V/Q mismatch. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: General ICU of a university-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Deeply sedated intubated adult patients with ARDS under controlled mechanical ventilation. INTERVENTIONS: Measures of V/Q mismatch by EIT, respiratory mechanics, gas exchange, lung imaging, and plasma biomarkers. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Unmatched V/Q units were assessed by EIT as the fraction of ventilated nonperfused plus perfused nonventilated lung units. At the same time, plasma biomarkers with proven prognostic and mechanistic significance for ARDS (carbonic anhydrase 9 [CA9], hypoxia-inducible factor 1 [HIF1], receptor for advanced glycation endproducts [RAGE], angiopoietin 2 [ANG2], gas exchange, respiratory mechanics, and quantitative chest CT scans were measured. Twenty-five intubated ARDS patients were included with median unmatched V/Q units of 37.1% (29.2–49.2%). Unmatched V/Q units were correlated with plasma levels of CA9 (rho = 0.47; p = 0.01), HIF1 (rho = 0.40; p = 0.05), RAGE (rho = 0.46; p = 0.02), and ANG2 (rho = 0.42; p = 0.03). Additionally, unmatched V/Q units correlated with plateau pressure ( r = 0.38; p = 0.05) and with the number of quadrants involved on chest radiograph ( r = 0.73; p < 0.01). Regional unmatched V/Q units were correlated with the corresponding fraction of poorly aerated lung tissue ( r = 0.62; p = 0.01) and of lung tissue weight (rho: 0.51; p = 0.04) measured by CT scan. CONCLUSIONS: In ARDS patients, unmatched V/Q units are correlated with pathophysiological markers of lung epithelial and endothelial dysfunction, increased lung stress, and lung edema. Unmatched V/Q units could represent a comprehensive marker of ARDS severity, reflecting the complex organ pathophysiology and reinforcing their prognostic significance.