Disclosures: Sofia Barchuk, DO: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest

Objective: This retrospective cohort study examines the prevalence of DD in the LTACH setting and its association with weaning success and weaning duration.

Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting : Long term acute care. Participants : 319 tracheostomy patients who were on the ventilator.

Interventions: Fluoroscopic

Main Outcome Measures: The presence or absence of diaphragmatic dysfunction. Unilateral vs bilateral and severity. Individuals with and without diaphragmatic dysfunction were weaned off of a ventilator and how long did it take. Characteristics such as sex, age, smoking hx, and obesity on weaning capability.

Results: Out of 319 tracheostomy patients, 176 had presence of diaphragmatic dysfunction. Sex, age, smoking hx, and presence/absence of diaphragmatic dysfunction had no effect on weaning outcomes. As severity of diaphragmatic dysfunction increased, so did time to successful weaning. Conclusions: Diaphragmatic dysfunction (DD) is overlooked in identifying clinical conditions associated with ventilator weaning failure. Given the strong association between severity of DD and weaning outcomes, it is clear that appropriate diagnosis should be made early as to prevent failed weaning attempts.

Level of Evidence: Level III

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/the-physiatrists-role-in-diagnosing-diaphragmatic-dysfunction-to-improve-ltach-weaning-outcomes-a-retrospective-cohort-study/