Susceptibility to ventilator induced lung injury is increased in senescent rats

The principal mechanisms of ventilator induced lung injury (VILI) have been investigated in numerous animal studies. However, prospective data on the effect of old age on VILI are limited. Under the hypothesis that susceptibility to VILI is increased in old age, we investigated the pulmonary and extrapulmonary effects of mechanical ventilation with high tidal volume (VT) in old compared to young adult animals. Old (19.1±3.0 months) and young adult (4.4±1.3 months) male Wistar rats were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated (positive end-expiratory pressure 5 cmH2O, fraction of inspired oxygen 0.4, respiratory rate 40/minute) with a tidal volume (VT) of either 8, 16 or 24 ml/kg for four hours. Compared to young adult animals, high VT (24 ml/kg body weight) caused more lung injury in old animals as indicated by decreased oxygenation (arterial oxygen tension (PaO2): 208±3 vs. 131±20 mmHg; P