A Prospective Study of Indexes Predicting the Outcome of Trials of Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation

Abstract
The traditional predictors of the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation — minute ventilation (VE) and maximal inspiratory pressure (P1max) — are frequently inaccurate. We developed two new indexes: the first quantitates rapid shallow breathing as the ratio of respiratory frequency to tidal volume (f/VT), and the second is termed CROP, because it integrates thoracic c̱ompliance, respiratory ṟate, arterial o̱xygenation, and P1max.