In mechanically ventilated patients the natural gas-conditioning process of the upper airways is bypassed by the use of an endotracheal tube or a tracheostomy. We hypothesized that under these conditions the breathing pattern may greatly influence the convective respiratory heat loss (Cr). Cr values were computed from minute ventilation (VE) and inspiratory and expiratory gas temperatures, which were measured in six patients under mechanical ventilation for the management of cranial trauma. In each patient the effects of 11-20 different breathing patterns were investigated. Relationships between Cr and VE and between combined tidal volume and respiratory frequency were obtained by simple and multiple linear regression methods, respectively. Comparison of the standard errors of estimate indicated that multiple linear regression gives the best fit. Thus, Cr was highly dependent on the breathing pattern and was not related only to VE. For the same VE value, Cr was higher when VE was achieved with high tidal volume and low respiratory frequency. These data are consistent with previous studies in which thermal exchanges through the upper airways were taxed by hyperventilation of frigid air.