An Overview of the Predictor Standard Tools for Patient Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation

Most patients staying in the intensive care unit (ICU) require respiratory support through a ventilator. Since prolonged mechanical ventilation and weaning from the ventilator without criteria or at the inappropriate time can result in many complications, it is required that patients be weaned off the ventilator as soon as possible. This study was conducted to investigate a few standard tools that predict successful and timely weaning of patients from the ventilator. In the literature, SOFA and APACHE II scores, along with various tools, including Burn, Morganroth, and Corgian, have been used in weaning patients from the ventilator. In most of these studies, the increase or decrease in the APACHE II score was correlated with the patient’s weaning time, and this score could be used as a criterion for weaning. Several authors have expressed their belief that the SOFA score in the ICU is a good indicator of the prognosis of patient’s weaning from the ventilator, length of stay, mortality, and rate of recovery. Several studies have compared SOFA and APACHE II scores and have shown that there is a positive correlation between the SOFA and APACHE II scores and that both mortality and dependence on the ventilator are related to these two scores. Another tool is Burn’s weaning program. A higher Burn score indicates successful weaning off of the ventilator, successful extubation, lower length of mechanical ventilation, and shorter stay in the hospital. However, the capabilities of the Morganroth scale and the Gluck and Corgian scoring systems were evaluated only for successful weaning off of the ventilator, and a decrease in the Morganroth and Gluck scores indicated successful weaning.