In a retrospective study in fifty-five patients intubated and mechanically ventilated for at least 24 hours we sought to determine the most accurately predicting factor of failed extubation after termination of ventilatory support. Eighteen per cent of patients had to be reintubated within next 24 hours. Reintubation was necessary in one of sixteen trauma patients (6 per cent), in six of twenty-seven surgical patients (22 per cent) and in 3 from twelve medically ill patients (twenty-five per cent). Mortality in successfully weaned patients was 2.2 per cent, in reintubated patients forty per cent. We found statistically significant difference between successfully and unsuccessfully weaned patients only in heart rate (90.9 ± 14.9 beats in successfully weaned vs. 104.7 ± 9.3 in reintubated patients, P = 0.008).

        Key words: failed extubation – tachycardia – respiratory insufficiency – weaning