Approximate entropy of respiratory rate and tidal volume during weaning from mechanical ventilation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of respiratory failure on respiratory rate pattern and tidal volume pattern.


METHODS
Prospective, clinical study.


METHODS
Cardiovascular intensive care unit.


METHODS
Ten patients within 12 hrs of cardiac surgery, and 21 patients who required prolonged (>7 days) mechanical ventilation.


METHODS
Patients were placed on spontaneous ventilation for weaning trials.


RESULTS
During spontaneous ventilation, each breath's instantaneous respiratory rate and tidal volume were recorded for later analysis. Approximate entropy (ApEn) was calculated for respiratory rate and tidal volume series of the terminal 1000 breaths on each spontaneous ventilation trial in series of 100, 300, and 1000 breaths. Ten patients (controls) were studied and extubated within 12 hrs of cardiac surgery. The other 21 patients were studied during attempts to wean them from mechanical ventilation. These patients passed (Group V-Pass) 59 and failed (Group V-Fail) 14 weaning trials. Mean tidal volume did not vary between groups, but respiratory rate increased progressively from the control group to Group V-Pass to Group V-Fail (p < .017). Conversely, approximate entropy of respiratory rate (ApEn-RR) did not vary among the three groups at any time series length, but approximate entropy of tidal volume (ApEn-VT) increased from the control group to Group V-P (p< .017) to Group V-F (p< .017) at all time series lengths. ApEn-VT was very specific but only moderately sensitive at identifying respiratory failure.


CONCLUSIONS
Respiratory failure causes tidal volume patterns to become increasingly irregular, but increasing respiratory rate has no effect on respiratory rate pattern.
Engoren
M
M
Department of Anesthesiology, Saint Vincent Mercy Medical Center, Toledo, OH, USA.
D000368:Aged; D019277:Entropy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012119:Respiration; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013990:Tidal Volume; D015300:Ventilator Weaning / Q000706:statistics & numerical data