Quasi-static pulmonary P-V curves of patients with ARDS, Part I: Characterization

Quasi-static, pulmonary pressure-volume (P-V) curves are combined with a respiratory system model to analyze characteristics of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It is shown that there exist distinct differences between healthy- and injured-respiratory system in the order of magnitudes of parameters of their P-V model equation. Four stages of ARDS (Early ARDS, Deep knee, Advanced ARDS and Baby lung) are defined quantitatively in terms of these parameters.