Use of airway pressure-based indices to detect high and low inspiratory effort during pressure support ventilation: a diagnostic accuracy study.

Background: Assessment of the patient's respiratory effort is essential during assisted ventilation. We aimed to evaluate the accuracy of airway pressure (P)-based indices to detect potential injurious inspiratory effort during pressure support (PS) ventilation.

Methods: In this prospective diagnostic accuracy study conducted in four ICUs in two academic hospitals, 28 adult acute respiratory failure patients undergoing PS ventilation were enrolled.

Validation of the flow index to detect low inspiratory effort during pressure support ventilation.

Background: Bedside assessment of low levels of inspiratory effort, which are probably insufficient to prevent muscle atrophy, is challenging. The flow index, which is derived from the analysis of the inspiratory portion of the flow-time waveform, has been recently introduced as a non-invasive parameter to evaluate the inspiratory effort. The primary objective of the present study was to provide an external validation of the flow index to detect low inspiratory effort.