Table 1

Causes of decreased intrathoracic compliance

Causes of decreased measured chest wall compliance

Causes of decreased measured lung compliance

Obesity

Tension pneumothorax

Ascites

Mainstem intubation

Neuromuscular weakness (Guillain–Barre, steroid myopathy, etc.)

Dynamic hyperinflation

Flail chest (mediastinal removal)

Pulmonary edema

Kyphoscoliosis

Pulmonary fibrosis

Fibrothorax

Acute respiratory distress syndrome

Pectus excavatum

Langerhans cell histiocytosis

Chest wall tumor

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Paralysis

Connective tissue disorders

Scleroderma

Sarcoidosis

Cryptogenic organizing pneumonitis

Lymphangitic spread of tumor

Shown are the causes of decreased intrathoracic compliance, partitioned into causes of decreased measured chest wall compliance and causes of decreased measured lung compliance.

Grinnan and Truwit Critical Care 2005 9:472   doi:10.1186/cc3516