Journal of breath research
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Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH serves as a surrogate marker of airway lining fluid (ALF) pH and can be used to evaluate airway acidification (AA). AA is known to be present in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and can be evaluated via continuous EBC pH measurement during mechanical ventilation. Lung recruitment maneuvers (LRMs) are utilized in the treatment of ARDS, however, their impact on EBC pH has never been explored. ⋯ Average EBC pH differed between phases and decreased after LRM (p = 0.001). EBC pH is affected by LRMs. EBC acidification following LRMs may represent a washout effect of opening acidic lung units and ventilating them or acute AA resulting from LRM.