A note on relationship between fever and ventilator weaning

There is not a huge literature on association between fever and ventilator weaning but weak evidence is available which shows that once temperature goes above 100.4 F (38 C), it may hamper with successful weaning. This may be due to the assumption that fever increases minute ventilation and may increase the work of breathing. There is no real cutoff  of temperature is described above which weaning should be avoided though.


References:

1. Netzer G, Dowdy DW, Harrington T, et al. Fever is associated with delayed ventilator liberation in acute lung injury. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2013; 10:608. 

2. Amoateng-Adjepong Y, Jacob BK, Ahmad M, Manthous CA. The effect of sepsis on breathing pattern and weaning outcomes in patients recovering from respiratory failure. Chest 1997; 112:472.