It is well known that PEEP plays a critical role in preventing/ reducing lung injury [23] . The combination of low V T and high PEEP has already proved to be beneficial for the outcome of patients with ARDS [53] . Further, an experimental ventilation strategy using low V T , PEEP and RM resulted in a better outcome in ARDS patient than a strategy without RM, although differences were not significant due to limitations of the trial [54] . Given the significance of biotrauma [55, 56] , it is an important question whether a ventilation strategy that combines high PEEP with RM attenuates pulmonary inflammation during low V T . The second part of this work showed that differences in cytokine levels between mice ventilated with the same RM strategies were smaller with 6 cmH 2 O than with 2 cmH 2 O PEEP. IL-6 serum levels were even in a comparable range in all PEEP6 groups. Interestingly, the highest IL-6 and KC BAL levels were detected in the PEEP6_noRM group. This correlates well with the neutrophil count that was also highest in this group. Thus, the application of RM appears to be beneficial with respect to pulmonary inflammation also at a PEEP of 6 cmH 2 O.