• Y Li, G He, and R Chen.
• Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou 510120, China.
• Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi. 2000 Apr 1;23(4):217-20.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the combined pulmonary function test at bedside as a predicting parameter of weaning in prolonged mechanically ventilated (MV) patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods58 patients [mean duration of MV (18.4 +/- 9.2) d] who were divided into two groups were enrolled in this study. Group I included 43 patients [male 30, female 13, mean age (65 +/- 12) y] were successful in weaning, group II included 15 patients [male 10, female 5, mean age (64 +/- 10) y] were failed. ABGs, APACHEII, pulmonary function test and respiratory mechanics were measured in both groups after 30 minutes stable spontaneous breathing.ResultsThere were no significant difference in ABGs, APACHEII, oxygenation index (OI), dynamic compliance (Cdyn) and airway resistance (Raw) between two groups (all P values > 0.05). There were significant differences in the following parameters between two groups: vital capacity/tidal volume (VC/VT, 2.10 +/- 0.20 vs. 1.30 +/- 0.20), maximal inspiratory pressure (Pimax), (-21 +/- 4) vs. (-13 +/- 3) cm H2O, rapid shallow breath index (RSBI), f/VT, (74 +/- 30) vs. (115 +/- 20) times.min-1.L-1, all P values < 0.05. By the use of VC/VT(> 1.8), Pimax(< -18 cm H2O) and f/VT(< 105 times.min-1.L-1) as the criteria of weaning, the specificity (90%) was significantly higher than each of the above three parameters.ConclusionThe bedside combined pulmonary function test (VC/VT, Pimax and f/VT) was a valuable weaning predictor in prolonged mechanically ventilated COPD patients.

29 keywords...

hide…