Effect of intellivent‐asv versus conventional ventilation on ventilation intensity in patients with covid‐19 ards— an observational study

Driving pressure (ΔP) and mechanical power (MP) are associated with outcomes in critically ill patients, irrespective of the presence of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). INTELLiVENT‐ASV, a fully automated ventilatory mode, controls the settings that affect ΔP and MP. This study compared the intensity of ventilation (ΔP and MP) with INTELLiVENT‐ASV versus conventional ventilation in a cohort of COVID‐19 ARDS patients in two intensive care units in the Netherlands. The coprimary endpoints were ΔP and MP before and after converting from conventional ventilation to INTELLiVENT‐ASV. Compared to conventional ventilation, INTELLiVENT‐ASV delivered ventilation with a lower ΔP and less MP. With conventional ventilation, ΔP was 13 cmH2O, and MP was 21.5 and 24.8 J/min, whereas with INTELLiVENT‐ASV, ΔP was 11 and 10 cmH2O (mean difference –2 cm H2O (95 %CI –2.5 to –1.2 cm H2O), p < 0.001) and MP was 18.8 and 17.5 J/min (mean difference –7.3 J/Min (95% CI –8.8 to –5.8 J/min), p < 0.001). Conversion from conventional ventilation to INTELLiVENT‐ASV resulted in a lower intensity of ventilation. These findings may favor the use of INTELLiVENT‐ASV in COVID‐19 ARDS patients, but future studies remain needed to see if the reduction in the intensity of ventilation translates into clinical benefits