Acute cardiac care & resuscitation

Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) titration in cardiogenic shock: impact on congestion and haemodynamic phenotype

Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc CarePublished prospective physiological study

Authors' conclusion

Respiratory mechanics-guided PEEP titration frequently modifies ventilatory settings in CS and reveals marked variability in haemodynamic tolerance according to CS phenotype and RV function. Individualized PEEP titration may help balance respiratory benefit, congestion, and haemodynamic stability in mechanically ventilated patients with CS.

Study context

Population
Mechanically ventilated patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) undergoing a decremental PEEP titration protocol (15 to 5 cmH2O)patients included
Participants
25 participants
Exposure
Respiratory mechanics-guided decremental PEEP titration (15 to 5 cmH2O); parameters assessed at each step
  • AMI-CSn = 15
  • HF-CSn = 10
Outcome
Modification of ventilatory settings

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Patients with modified ventilatory settings

88%

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

Static compliance · before vs after titration

Static compliance before vs after titration
62.5 ± 11 vs. 74.7 ± 11.5 mL/cmH2O; P = 0.003

PaO2/FiO2 ratio · before vs after titration

PaO2/FiO2 ratio before vs after titration
244 ± 89 vs. 276 ± 65; P = 0.001

Right atrial pressure (RAP) across PEEP levels

RAP varied significantly across PEEP levels
P < 0.001
Changes were greater in HF-CS and in patients with RV dysfunction
Patients with impaired RV function showed greater RAP increase and reduced tolerance to higher PEEP levels

Original publication

PEEP titration in cardiogenic shock: impact on congestion and haemodynamic phenotype. Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care. Published 24 July 2026. doi:10.1093/ehjacc/zuag099

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