Potent inflammatory cytokine response following lung volume recruitment maneuvers with HFOV in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Objective: Lung volume recruitment maneuver (LVRM) may improve gas exchange but inflating the lungs to nearly vital capacity may cause further lung injuries. Our aim was to determine the potent inflammatory cytokine response following lung volume recruitment (LVRM) with high frequency oscillator ventilation (HFOV) in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Methods: We prospectively recruited pediatric patients (age >1 month - <15 year old) with a diagnosis of ARDS within 72 hrs of PICU admission.