Supplementary Material for: Decannulation/Weaning Potential and Success in Home Intensive Care

Background: The number of patients receiving home long-term ventilation has risen considerably in recent decades owing to medical advancements. Experts believe that the potential for ventilator weaning or tracheostoma removal is currently insufficiently exploited. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics, prognosis, and decannulation/weaning potential of patients under home intensive care. Methods: In this retrospective analysis of 607 patients on home intensive care, decannulation/weaning status and survival were documented for a 2-year period after initial assessment. At the time of hospital discharge, when clinicians had deemed the weaning process concluded, an independent expert noninvasively assessed the long-term decannulation/weaning. Comparative analyses based on specific criteria, such as ventilation and decannulation/weaning status, age, and underlying diseases, were performed. Potential predictors of survival were identified via multivariable logistic regression. Results: Eighteen percent of patients were decannulated/weaned within 2 years after hospital discharge and had better mean survival than patients not decannulated/weaned (552 vs. 420 days, p Conclusion: Successful decannulation/weaning of patients on long-term home intensive care is associated with better survival. Even in the absence of decannulation/weaning potential at the time of hospital discharge, patients may develop decannulation/weaning potential over time, which should therefore be assessed repeatedly.