BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated that protocol-directed weaning is better than physician-directed weaning in terms of shorter duration of mechanical ventilation in general critically ill patients. In this prospective, randomized controlled trial, the authors compared duration of mechanical ventilation between protocol based nurse-directed weaning and physician-directed weaning in p...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW In intubated patients, mechanical ventilation offers essential ventilatory support, while the respiratory system recovers from acute respiratory failure. Yet, invasive mechanical ventilation is associated with risks and complications that prolong the duration of mechanical ventilation and increase the risk for death. Therefore, safely weaning the patient from the ventilator as...

BACKGROUND As older persons in the intensive care unit increasingly require long-term mechanical ventilation, accurate indications of readiness for weaning from ventilatory support are needed to avoid premature extubation. OBJECTIVE To describe temporal changes in pulmonary and systemic variables in older adults receiving long-term mechanical ventilation. METHODS After 3 days of unsuccessfu...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical relevance of the weaning from mechanical ventilation classification system derived from the 2005 international consensus conference, in patients who receive mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours, and evaluate its correlation with prognosis. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a 12-bed intensive care unit (ICU) in a teaching hospital....