Are the Extremes of Respiratory Efforts During Assisted Ventilation Associated With Weaning Failure in Critical Ill Patients: a Prospective Observational Study

What this Trial Is About

This research focuses on patients over 18 years old who are receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) through orotracheal intubation. It aims to understand how extremes of respiratory effort and dynamic lung stress during the first 7 days of spontaneous breathing affect the success or failure of weaning from mechanical ventilation. The study is prospective and observational, conducted in intensive care units from January 2024 to July 2026. Researchers hypothesize that both very low and very high respiratory efforts may be linked to a higher failure rate in weaning and longer periods on mechanical ventilation and hospital stays. Participants are observed in two groups based on their respiratory effort levels: those with low respiratory effort and those with high respiratory effort, defined by specific pressure thresholds (P0.1 and Pocc). No experimental treatments are administered; instead, the study monitors these patients during their first 7 days of spontaneous ventilation after intubation. The research includes evaluation of respiratory effort using measurements such as electrical impedance tomography and diaphragmatic ultrasound. During the study, patients undergo regular assessments that include respiratory effort measurements, lung stress evaluations, and diaphragm function tests. Researchers will analyze outcomes such as weaning failure rates, total weaning time, time on mechanical ventilation, rates and timing of tracheostomy, length of ICU and hospital stay, and in-hospital mortality. Data will be collected and analyzed statistically to explore associations between respiratory effort extremes and clinical outcomes over the course of 2 years from enrollment.

Extremes of Respiratory Effort in Weaning Failure From Mechanical Ventilation: a Prospective Observational Study