 When patients are extubated too early, respiratory failure can occur 10, 11. When extubation is delayed, lengths of time on mechanical ventilation and in the ICU stay both increases. This leads to additional respiratory complications such as ventilator associated pneumonia and overall lung damage12. Thus, the decision to extubate should be made on the basis of accurate, objective and reproducible criteria. The diaphragmatic activity is likely one of those criteria that are not yet measured. We aim to add some additional information to this body of knowledge that may link the respiratory pump diaphragm to lung function, muscle fatigue, andor central nervous system depression. 