Using physiologic end points to assess innovations in mechanical ventilation

It is our view that new ventilatory methods should be withheld from clinical practice until there has been adequate evaluation of their effect on physiologic variables and the link to long-term outcomes has been established. In the past, premature and over-enthusiastic acceptance of ventilatory strategies may have resulted in patient discomfort and even harm, and this can be minimized by a more careful evaluation of the physiologic effects of such innovations before their acceptance into clinical practice.