Revue des maladies respiratoires
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To determine the effects of a pressure support ventilation (PSV) of 6 cm H(2)O during spontaneous breathing on oxygen consumption of the respiratory muscles (VO(2) resp), gas exchange, respiratory rate, tidal volume and to determine if these low levels of PSV can reduce or cancel the increase in work of breathing induced by the resistances of the endotracheal tube and the circuit of the respirator. ⋯ Despite a significant increase in spontaneous tidal volume, adding a PSV level of 6 cm H(2)O did not improve VO(2) resp. Thus, low level of PSV did not reduce the increased work of breathing induced by the resistances of the ventilator tubing and the endotracheal tube.