Positive end-expiratory pressure oscillation facilitates brain vascular reactivity monitoring

Brady KM, Easley RB, Kibler K, Kaczka DW, Andropoulos D, Fraser CD 3rd, Smielewski P, Czosnyka M, Adams GJ, Rhee CJ, Rusin CG. Positive end-expiratory pressure oscillation facilitates brain vascular reactivity monitoring. J Appl Physiol 113: 1362-1368, 2012. First published September 13, 2012; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00853.2012.-The pressure reactivity index (PRx) identifies optimal cerebral perfusion pressure after traumatic brain injury. We describe a method to improve PRx precision by induced variations in arterial blood pressure (ABP) using positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) modulation (iPRx). Neonatal swine (n = 10) were ventilated with static PEEP and then with PEEP oscillated between 5 and 10 cmH(2)O at a frequency of 1/min. PRx was recorded as a moving correlation coefficient between ABP and intracranial pressure (ICP) from spontaneous ABP activity (0.05-0.003 Hz) during static PEEP. iPRx was similarly recorded with PEEP oscillation-induced ABP waves. The lower limit of autoregulation (LLA) was delineated with continuous cortical laser Doppler flux monitoring. PEEP oscillation increased autoregulation-monitoring precision. The ratios of median absolute deviations to range of possible values for the PRx and iPRx were 9.5% (8.3-13.7%) and 6.2% (4.2-8.7%), respectively (P = 0.006; median, interquartile range). The phase-angle difference between ABP and ICP above LLA was 161 degrees (150 degrees-166 degrees) and below LLA, -31 degrees (-42 degrees to 12 degrees, P < 0.0001). iPRx above LLA was -0.42 (-0.67 to -0.29) and below LLA, 0.32 (0.22-0.43, P = 0.0004). A positive iPRx was 97% specific and 91% sensitive for perfusion pressure below LLA. PEEP oscillation caused stable, low-frequency ABP oscillations that reduced noise in the PRx. Safe translation of these findings to clinical settings is expected to yield more accurate and rapid delineation of individualized optimal perfusion-pressure goals for patients.