Combining Electrical Impedance Tomography and Thoracic Ultrasound Toinvestigate Dynamic Changes

Combining Electrical Impedance Tomography and Thoracic Ultrasound to Investigate Dynamic Changes of Respiratory Effort, and Regional & End-expiratory Lung Volume in Mechanically Ventilated Patients.

1. To evaluate the dynamic changes of lung ultrasound during electrical impedance tomography (EIT) PEEP titration and across the first week of ARDS.
2. To asses respiratory effort by diaphragmatic function, esophageal pressure, and EIT (Pendelluft phenomenon), and hyperinflammatory biomarkers, to predict P-SILI.
3. To develop predictive models for weaning success based on integrated EELI and thoracic ultrasound.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult >18 y/o.
• Patient intubated and receiving mechanical ventilation > 24 hours.
• Admitted into ICU, diagnosed as moderate or severe ARDS (ICD-10-CM: J80) according to Berlin definition.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of Implanted Electronic Devices (pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators).
• Pregnancy.
• No consent/inability to obtain consent and appropriate legal representative not available.