Effect of Pressure Support vs T-Piece Ventilation Strategies During Spontaneous Breathing Trials on Successful Extubation Among Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Subirà C, Hernández G, Vázquez A. et al. JAMA. 2019;321(22):2175-2182. [CrossRef]

Daily spontaneous breathing trials (SBTs) are the best approach to determine whether patients are ready for disconnection from mechanical ventilation, but mode and duration of SBT remain controversial. The authors randomized patients to undergo a 2-hour T-piece SBT (n = 578) or a 30-minute SBT with 8-cm H2O pressure support ventilation (n = 557). Among 1153 patients who were randomized successful extubation occurred in 473 patients (82.3%) in the pressure support ventilation group and 428 patients (74.0%) in the T-piece group (difference, 8.2%; 95% CI, 3.4%-13.0%; P = .001). Reintubation, median intensive care unit length of, and median hospital length of stay did not differ but hospital mortality was lower for pressure support (10.4% vs 14.9%, P = .02) as was 90-day mortality was (13.2% vs 17.3%, P = .04). The authors conclude that among patients receiving mechanical ventilation, a spontaneous breathing trial consisting of 30 minutes of pressure support ventilation, compared with 2 hours of T-piece ventilation, led to significantly higher rates of successful extubation. These findings support the use of a shorter, less demanding ventilation strategy for spontaneous breathing trials.