Final answer:
The patient's acute respiratory failure with hypercapnia is due to the effects of asthma, which causes airway inflammation, edema, and obstruction. The lab results indicate respiratory acidosis with some compensatory metabolic alkalosis. Asthma contributes to these conditions by inhibiting effective gas exchange.
Step-by-step explanation:
The patient's condition of acute respiratory failure with hypercapnia due to acute asthmatic bronchitis with status asthmaticus and treatment with IV steroids touches on several issues related to asthma, which is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation, edema of the airway, and bronchospasms. The excessive mucus secretion and inflammation caused by immune cells like eosinophils and mononuclear cells can obstruct airflow and worsen respiratory status, leading to acute respiratory failure.
In the case study provided, Bob's laboratory results showing a pH of 7.31 and a higher than normal pCO2 indicate a state of respiratory acidosis. The elevated total HCO3 suggests a compensatory mechanism is at work to buffer the increased acidity, albeit incompletely. Asthma contributes to these lab results as the bronchospasms and inflammation reduce the effectiveness of gas exchange, which results in retained CO2 and thus, hypercapnia and acidosis.