@@ Research efforts in the acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) have recently focused on attempts to improve outcome by limiting potential new or worsening lung injury caused by adverse mechanical ventilation strategies. The ARDS Network study has shown improved clinical outcomes using "low stretch" ventilation strategies that limit tidal volumes and inflation pressures and presumably reduce ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI)[1]. Low tidal volume ventilation is frequently associated with a concomitant respiratory acidosis that, rather than being a side effect to be corrected or tolerated, has been suggested by some to be potentially beneficial[2,3].