Investigating the effect of Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) on central venous pressure - a clinical trial

Investigating the changes in CVP at different positive end-expiratory pressures (PEEP) can play an important role in more accurately assessing ICU patients in terms of their treatment strategies and fluid therapy as effectively as possible. This present study was performed to evaluate the effect of PEEP changes on CVP in patients admitted to the emergency ICU. In this quasi-experimental clinical trial study, ۸۲ intubated patients with right subclavian central vein catheter admitted to the trauma ward were studied. Patients were treated with etomidate at a dose of ۰.۳ mg/Kg and fixed ventilator settings. CVP in PEEPs ۳, ۵ and ۷ was measured every ۳۰ minutes. ۵۲.۲% of patients were male. The mean age of the patients was ۶۱.۶۵ years. The most common causes of hospitalization in patients were cerebrovascular accident (CVA) (۳۷.۱%) and sepsis (۲۳.۲%). The mean CVP recorded in PEEPs ۳, ۵ and ۷ were ۱۰.۴۲ ± ۱.۳۷, ۱۱.۱۵ ± ۱.۵۳ and ۱۲.۳۶ ± ۱.۶۹ (cmH۲O), respectively. We found that with increasing PEEP, CVP level increases (p <۰.۰۵) and also found that for every ۲ cmH۲o increases in PEEP, the CVP increases by ۴% (cmH۲O). No significant relationship was observed between age, sex and reason of hospitalization and changes in CVP with PEEP changes (P> ۰.۰۵). This study showed that there is a significant relationship between increased PEEP and increased CVP in hospitalized patients and it was found that for every two cmH۲O increase in PEEP, the CVP increases by ۴%.