Hypophosphatemia and Diaphragmatic Contractility

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Abstract
To the Editor: Dr. Aubier and his colleagues eloquently demonstrate the relations of hypophosphatemia and its correction to augmentation of transdiaphragmatic pressure and diaphragmatic contractility (August 15 issue).1 The authors suggest that these findings may have clinical importance in weaning patients from mechanical ventilation. However, the circumstances surrounding the experiments of Aubier et al. are quite specialized and are not necessarily applicable to patients who are being weaned from ventilator therapy. All their patients were studied in the initial phase of hypercapnic ventilatory failure. It is known that in the early phase of ventilatory failure, intercostal muscles may be depleted . . .