Explore the influence of BMI in the optimal time of weaning from sequential mechanical ventilation for severity chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVE To study the clinical effect of body mass index (BMI) in the optimal time of weaning from sequential invasive-noninvasive mechanical ventilation (MV) by treating severity chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. METHODS 94 patients with severity COPD were divided into the control group (BMI<21) and the study group (BMI>21). These two groups were treated by similar symptomatic therapies such as mechanical ventilation, antibacterial, antispasmodic, relieving asthma, antitussive, expectorant, correction of electrolyte imbalance and acid-base balance disorders, strengthen nutritional support, etc. RESULTS Compared with the control group, the study group had shorter duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, non-invasive mechanical ventilation time, total mechanical ventilation time, total hospital stay (P<0.01). There are significant differences between these two groups in re-intubation rate, VAP occurred in the number of case, hospital mortality rate in 28 days (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS It is difficult to wean successfully from sequential mechanical ventilation for severity COPD patients (BMI<21), so BMI as one of important reference index can be used to estimate the optimal time for weaning from sequential mechanical ventilation for severity COPD patients.