Arterial blood gases at Start and End.

<p>Arterial blood gases at Start and End.</p

Timeline representation of the experimental protocol.

<p>First randomization: pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) or pressure support ventilation (PSV). Second randomization: intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) or normal intra-abdominal pressure (nIAP). Start: immediately after surgery (Sham) or IAH induction at PCV or PSV. V_T, tidal volume; PEEP, positive-end expiratory pressure; FiO₂, fraction of inspired oxygen. Mechanics and arterial blood gases were evaluated at Start and End (after 1 h of mechanical ventilation in PCV or PSV).</p

Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of biological markers associated with inflammation (interleukin [IL]-6), fibrogenesis (type III procollagen [PCIII]), pulmonary stretch (amphiregulin), type II epithelial cell damage (surfactant protein [SP]-B), and endothelial cell damage (vascular cellular adhesion molecule [VCAM-1]) in animals with normal intra-abdominal pressure (nIAP) or intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) mechanically ventilated in pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) or pressure support ventilation (PSV) mode.

<p>Values are given as medians, interquartile ranges, and minimum/maximum of 6 animals in each group. Relative gene expression was calculated as a ratio of average gene expression compared with the reference gene (<i>36B4</i>) and expressed as fold change relative to non-ventilated (NV) animals. *Significantly different from NV (p<0.05). #Significantly different from PCV (p<0.05).</p

Respiratory parameters at Start and End.

<p>Respiratory parameters at Start and End.</p

Cumulative DAD score (scores arithmetically averaged from two independent investigators) representing injury from alveolar collapse, interstitial edema, and septal thickening in animals with normal intra-abdominal pressure (nIAP) or intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) mechanically ventilated in pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) or pressure support ventilation (PSV) mode.

<p>NV: non-ventilated animals. Values are given as medians, interquartile ranges, and minimum/maximum of 6 animals in each group. Statistical significance was accepted at p < 0.05. *Significantly different from NV.</p