AaDO2: alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference

ABG: arterial blood gas

AHCPR: Agency for Health Care and Policy Research

APACHE II: Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation - II

APRV: airway pressure release ventilation

ARDS: acute respiratory distress syndrome

BiPAP: biphasic positive airway pressure

BP: blood pressure

CABG: coronary artery bypass graft

CaO2: arterial oxygen content

CCU: coronary care unit

Cdyn: dynamic lung compliance

CHF: congestive heart failure

CI: cardiac index

CINAHL: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature

CK-MB: creatine kinase - MB fraction

COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CPAP: continuous positive airway pressure

CPK: creatine phosphokinase

CROP: compliance, rate, oxygenation and pressure index (Cdyn x PImax x [PaO2/PAO2])/rate

CVA: cerebrovascular accident

CVICU: cardiovascular intensive care unit

CXR: chest X-ray

DLCO: diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide

ECMO: extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

EMG: electromyography

EPAP: expiratory positive airway pressure

EVLW: extravascular lung water

f/Vt: frequency/tidal volume

FeV1: forced expiratory volume at one second

FiO2: fractional inspired concentration of oxygen

FVC: forced vital capacity

HFJV: high frequency jet ventilation

HFO: high frequency oscillation

HR: heart rate

I:E: ratio of inspiratory time to expiratory time

ICU: intensive care unit

IEQ: inspiratory effort quotient = k(Vt/Cdyn)(Ti/Ttotal)/MIP

IMV: intermittent mandatory ventilation

IPAP: inspiratory positive airway pressure

LISS: Lung Injury Severity Score

LR: likelihood ratio

MIP: maximum inspiratory pressure

MMEF: maximum mid-expiratory flow

MMV: minimum minute ventilation

MPM: Mortality Prediction Model

NIF: negative inspiratory force

NIP: negative inspiratory pressure

NMD: neuromuscular disorder

NG: nasogastric tube

NO: nitric oxide

NPPV: noninvasive positive pressure ventilation

NYHA: New York Heart Association

OR: odds ratio

OR: operating room

P0.1: occlusion pressure

PaCO2: arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide

PaO2: arterial partial pressure of oxygen

PAV: proportional assist ventilation

Pbreath: the pressure a patient must generate to take an unassisted breath

PBVI: pulmonary blood volume index

PEEP: positive end-expiratory pressure

PetCO2: end-tidal CO2

PI max: maximal inspiratory pressure

PIP: peak inspiratory pressure

PS: pressure support

PTI: modified inspiratory pressure-time index; reflects the force and duration ofinspiratory muscle contraction

PVR: pulmonary vascular resistance

Res: resistance

RCT: randomized controlled trial

RDS: respiratory distress syndrome

ROC curve: receiver operator characteristic curve

RR: respiratory rate

RSBI: rapid shallow breathing index

RT: respiratory therapist

SaO2: percentage of hemoglobin saturated with oxygen in arterial blood

SAPS: Simplified Acute Physiology Score

sd: standard deviation

se: standard error

sens: sensitivity

SICU: surgical intensive care unit

SIMV: synchromized intermittent mandatory ventilation

spec: specificity

SV: stroke volume

SVR: systemic vascular resistance

Ti: inspiratory time

TPN: total parenteral nutrition

VAP: ventilator-associated pneumonia

VC: vital capacity

VE: minute ventilation

Vt: tidal volume