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Objective:

Respiratory muscle weakness frequently develops during mechanical ventilation, although in children there are limited data about its prevalence and whether it is associated with extubation outcomes. We sought to identify risk factors for pediatric extubation failure, with specific attention to respiratory muscle strength.

Design:

Secondary analysis of prospectively collected data.

Setting:

Tertiary care PICU.

Patients:

Four hundred nine mechanically ventilated children.

Interventions:

Respiratory measurements using esophageal manometry and respiratory inductance plethysmography were made preextubation during airway occlusion and on continuous positive airway pressure of 5 and pressure support of 10 above positive end-expiratory pressure 5 cm H 2 O, as well as 5 and 60 minutes postextubation.

Measurements and Main Results:

Thirty-four patients (8.3%) were reintubated within 48 hours of extubation …