Predictive factors for successful weaning from mechanical ventilation in the internal medicine department

The aging of the Israeli population along with a shortage of ICU beds have led to hospitalization of invasive mechanical ventilation patients in internal medicine departments, where, as opposed to ICU, the treatment is less than optimal. The aims of the study were to evaluate the predictive factors for successful weaning from mechanical ventilation in ventilated patients admitted to internal medicine departments. A retrospective study that included non-COVID 19 ventilated patients in internal medicine departments in a university affiliated hospital in Israel between the years 2018-2019. We compared datapoints between patients who were weaned from ventilators versus those who remained ventilated during the hospitalization, and defined demographic and clinical predictive factors for successful weaning. Data were collected from electronic medical records and included demographic, clinical, laboratory and ventilator information. The study group included 348 patients. The rate of successful weaning was 19%; patients who were successfully weaned were primarily functionally independent prior to ventilation, ventilated with low PEEP values, had high hemoglobin and albumin levels alongside with low CRP and lactate levels. Those who remained ventilated either required vasopressor treatment, had positive blood cultures or had lower GFR levels. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 60%, while the 30-day mortality rate was lower in the extubated group [214 (76%) vs. 6 (9%), P < 0.0001]. Our findings highlight the low rate of weaning from ventilation in the department of medicine, with higher mortality rate among the remained ventilated patients. Various favorable clinical parameters might predict successful weaning.