Effects of PEEP on intracranial pressure in patients with acute brain injury: An observational, prospective and multicenter study

Objective

To analyze the impact of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) changes on intracranial pressure (ICP) dynamics in patients with acute brain injury (ABI).

Design

Observational, prospective and multicenter study (PEEP-PIC study).

Setting

Seventeen intensive care units in Spain.

Patients

Neurocritically ill patients who underwent invasive neuromonitorization from November 2017 to June 2018.

Interventions

Baseline ventilatory, hemodynamic and neuromonitoring variables were collected immediately before PEEP changes and during the following 30 min.

Main variables of interest

PEEP and ICP changes.

Results

One-hundred and nine patients were included. Mean age was 52.68 (15.34) years, male 71 (65.13%). Traumatic brain injury was the cause of ABI in 54 (49.54%) patients. Length of mechanical ventilation was 16.52 (9.23) days. In-hospital mortality was 21.1%. PEEP increases (mean 6.24–9.10 cmH2O) resulted in ICP increase from 10.4 to 11.39 mmHg, P < .001, without changes in cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) (P = .548). PEEP decreases (mean 8.96 to 6.53 cmH2O) resulted in ICP decrease from 10.5 to 9.62 mmHg (P = .052), without changes in CPP (P = .762). Significant correlations were established between the increase of ICP and the delta PEEP (R = 0.28, P < .001), delta driving pressure (R = 0.15, P = .038) and delta compliance (R = −0.14, P = .052). ICP increment was higher in patients with lower baseline ICP.

Conclusions

PEEP changes were not associated with clinically relevant modifications in ICP values in ABI patients. The magnitude of the change in ICP after PEEP increase was correlated with the delta of PEEP, the delta driving pressure and the delta compliance.