Objective: To evaluate the physiologic work of breathing (WOBphy) as a predicting Parameter of weaning and extubation.
Methods: WOBphy was obtained by the patient's work of breathing (WOBt), minuting the imposed work of breathing (WOBimp). In weaning trial, if the patients could not meet predefined extubation criteria, but WOBphy < 0.70 J/L, the patients were also extubated immediately.
Results: In a group of 28 patients who met the predefined criteria (group 1), 27 patients were successfully extubated. In another group of 13 patients who could not meet the criteria, but WOBphy < 0.70 J/L (group 2), extubation was successful in 12 patients. WOBt and WOBimp were significantly higher in group 2 (1.37 +/- 0.50 and 0.82 +/- 0.37 J/L) than group 1 (0.96 +/- 0.38 and 0.55 +/- 0.27 J/L, P < 0.05), while WOBphy was higher in group 2, but did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusions: WOBphy < 0.70 J/L may be safe as the weaning and extubation criterion and enables earlier extubation.