Protective ventilation reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth in lung tissue in a porcine pneumonia model

BACKGROUND: Mechanical ventilation with positive end expiratory pressure and low tidal volume, i.e. protective ventilation, is recommended in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, the effect of protective ventilation on bacterial growth during early pneumonia in non-injured lungs is not extensively studied. The main objectives were to compare two different ventilator settings on Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth in lung tissue and the development of lung injury. METHODS: A porcine model of severe pneumonia was used. The protective group (n = 10) had an end expiratory pressure of 10 cm H(2)O and a tidal volume of 6 ml x kg(−1). The control group (n = 10) had an end expiratory pressure of 5 cm H(2)O and a tidal volume of 10 ml x kg(−1). 10(11) colony forming units of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were inoculated intra-tracheally at baseline, after which the experiment continued for 6 h. Two animals from each group received only saline, and served as sham animals. Lung tissue samples from each animal were used for bacterial cultures and wet-to-dry weight ratio measurements. RESULTS: The protective group displayed lower numbers of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p < 0.05) in the lung tissue, and a lower wet-to-dry ratio (p < 0.01) than the control group. The control group deteriorated in arterial oxygen tension/inspired oxygen fraction, whereas the protective group was unchanged (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In early phase pneumonia, protective ventilation with lower tidal volume and higher end expiratory pressure has the potential to reduce the pulmonary bacterial burden and the development of lung injury. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s40635-017-0152-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.