• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제83권4호
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• pp.295-302
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• 2020

Background: Weaning failure is common in mechanically ventilated patients, and if ultrasound can predict weaning outcome remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diaphragmatic function (thickness and excursion) measured by ultrasound as a predictor of the extubation outcome. Methods: We included 62 mechanically ventilated patients from the chest intensive care unit in this study. Sixty-two patients who successfully passed the spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) were enrolled. The transthoracic ultrasound of the diaphragm was performed during an SBT to the assess diaphragmatic function (excursion and thickness), and they were classified into the successful extubation group and the failed extubation group. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in the successful extubation group in the diaphragmatic excursion and thickness fraction (p<0.001), a statistically significant negative correlation between the diaphragmatic function and the duration of the mechanical ventilation, and a statistically significant negative correlation between the diaphragmatic excursion and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II. The diaphragmatic excursion cut-off value predictive of weaning was 1.25 cm, with a specificity of 82.1% and a sensitivity of 97.1% respectively, and the diaphragmatic thickness cut-off value predictive of weaning was 21.5%, with a specificity of 60.7% and a sensitivity of 91.2%, respectively. Conclusion: The diaphragmatic ultrasonography was found to be a promising tool for predicting the extubation outcome for mechanically ventilated patients.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.131-135
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• 2017

Background: Neuromuscular ultrasound can be used to assess the diaphragm. Before it can be used clinically, the reference ranges of diaphragm thickness and contractility must be determined. Methods: We measured the thickness of the diaphragm and the diaphragmatic thickening fraction (DTF) in 80 healthy volunteers with ultrasound and collected their demographic information to determine if age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) influence these measures. Results: The thickness of the diaphragm at resting end expiration was $0.193{\pm}0.044cm$ on the right side and $0.187{\pm}0.039cm$ on the left. The DTF was $104.8{\pm}50.6%$ on the right side and $114.9{\pm}49.2%$ on the left. Sex, weight, height, and BMI significantly affected the thickness of the diaphragm, but had little effect on the DTF. Conclusions: Normal reference values for the diaphragm should be helpful when evaluating the diaphragm. The DTF appears more useful than resting diaphragm thickness because it is affected less by individual variation.