[RESULTS] There were significant differences in body temperature ( 37.40.5 centigrade vs. 38.50.6 centigrade ) , respiratory rate ( 18.33.1 times/min vs. 23.33.5 times/min ) , heart rate ( 94.78.5 beats/min vs. 113.58.0 beats/min ) , white blood cell count ( WBC : 12.52.1 10 ( 9 ) / L vs. 17.11.7 10 ( 9 ) / L ) , acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II ( APACHEII ) score ( 15.63.2 vs. 19.83.7 ) , Glasgow coma score ( GCS : 12.52.1 vs. 8.52.9 ) , gastrointestinal dysfunction score ( 3.93.0 vs. 3.62.4 ) , oxygenation index ( PaO2/FiO2 : 196.545.1 mmHg vs. 134.122.3 mmHg ) , serum creatinine ( SCr : 86.535.6 mol/L vs. 98.537.7 mol/L ) , total bilirubin ( TBil : 39.723.5 mol/L vs. 41.516.2 mol/L ) , C-reacting protein ( CRP : 53.721.4 mmol/L vs. 108.426.3 mmol/L ) , prothrombin time ( PT : 15.02.1 s vs. 20.42.2 s ) , activated partial thromboplastin time ( APTT : 37.34.9 s vs. 56.713.6 s ) , international normalized ratio ( INR : 2.520.64 vs. 4.010.77 ) , extra vascular lung water index ( EVLWI : 7.531.21 mL/kg vs. 15.853.41 mL/kg ) , pulmonary vascular permeability index ( PVPI : 6.070.89 vs. 9.471.26 ) , mean arterial pressure ( MAP : 87.310.9 mmHg vs. 98.713.6 mmHg ) , cardiac output ( CO : 7.151.42 L/min vs. 5.651.82 L/min ) , systemic vascular resistance index ( SVRI : 112.49.5 KP vs. 136.511.9 KP ) , and blood lactate ( 2.531.23 mmol/L vs. 5.812.17 mmol/L ) between high PEEP group and normal PEEP group ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01 ) .