Sustained hypercapnic acidosis during pulmonary infection increases bacterial load and worsens lung injury*

Abstract

Prolonged hypercapnic acidosis worsened bacterial infection-induced lung injury. Our findings suggest an immunosuppressive effect of hypercapnic acidosis and have important implications for protective ventilation strategies that permit hypercapnic acidosis in patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome and in the management of hypercapnic acidosis during infective exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other lung diseases.