INTRODUCTION
dyspnea, ICUAW, cough, ARF, muscular weakness, hypoxemia, weakness, airway mucus retention
ARF, RESPIRATORY FAILURE, ACUTE RESPIRATORY FAILURE
Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICUAW) is a critical condition presented in
ICU patients and characterized by generalized muscular weakness, including weakness
in the peripheral muscles from the upper and lower limbs.The inefficient cough in ICUAW patients is due to the presence of an endotracheal
tube and weakness in abdominal muscles, hindering their ability to mobilize
pulmonary secretions, promoting airway mucus retention and increasing the risk of
respiratory failure.Post-extubation acute respiratory failure (ARF) is a perilous situation characterized
by dyspnea and hypoxemia, which can require reintubation in the worst-case
scenarios. Inefficient airway clearance is one of the most critical factors leading
to this failure.Current management of airway clearance in the ICU includes conventional chest
physiotherapy (CCPT) based on manual compressions of the rib cage and abdominal wall
to modulate expiratory flows and manually assisted cough.Thus, we hypothesized that the use of MI-E can reduce the incidence of ARF within the
48-hour postextubation period in ICUAW patients.