Monitoring diaphragm function in a patient with myasthenia gravis: electrical activity of the diaphragm vs. maximal inspiratory pressure

Extubating to Noninvasive Ventilation: Noninvasive Ventilation from Intensive Care Unit to Home

Weaning to noninvasive ventilation in intensive care unit and bridging the patients to home with respiratory support is evolving as the technology of noninvasive ventilation is improving. In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation, timing of initiation of noninvasive ventilation is the key, as persistently hypercapnic patients show benefits. High-intensity pressure support seems to do better in comparison to low-intensity pressure support. In patients with obesity and hypercapnia, obesity hypoventilation cannot be ruled out especially in an inpatient setting, and it is crucial that these patients are discharged with noninvasive ventilation.

[Research advances in validity of predictors for extubation outcome in children receiving invasive mechanical ventilation]

The development of invasive mechanical ventilation technology provides effective respiratory support for critically ill children. However, respiratory support is not the end of treatment as the ultimate goal is successful extubation in children. At present, some evaluation indicators before extubation including rapid shallow breathing index, maximal inspiratory pressure, and work of breathing are of high clinical value in predicting adult extubation outcome, but their evidence of evidence-based medicine is not sufficient in the field of pediatric intensive care. This paper reviews the current research on the validity of predictors for extubation outcomes in children. It shows that there is still a lack of indicators with good sensitivity and specificity for assessment before extubation in children. The studies are still in a small-sample size and single-center stage. Therefore, how to optimize evaluation before extubation and improve the success rate of extubation is the direction of joint efforts of doctors in the pediatric intensive care unit and rehabilitation medicine department.