Increased Susceptibility to Ventilator-associated Lung Injury Persists after Clinical Recovery from Experimental Endotoxemia

Abstract

In this animal model, a 24-h delay after a single systemic injection of endotoxin resulted in clinical recovery and preserved pulmonary function but did not prevent increased susceptibility to ventilator-associated lung injury provoked by high VT. Residual pulmonary inflammation and neutrophilic infiltration at initiation of mechanical ventilation probably contribute to these findings.