Does the breathing response limit exercise tolerance in patients weaning from mechanical ventilation?

<title>Extract</title> During exercise, most healthy individuals achieve an increase in minute ventilation by first augmenting tidal volume, followed by an increase in respiratory frequency [1]. This coordinated breathing pattern allows efficient adaptation to aerobic demand. However, abnormal breathing responses to exercise, characterised by an inappropriately high respiratory frequency or erratic fluctuations in both frequency and tidal volume during exercise, may occur. Such patterns can be identified subjectively using validated questionnaires [2] or objectively using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) [3]. Abnormal breathing patterns due to dysfunctional breathing are estimated to occur in approximately 9% of the general population and are associated with disproportionate breathlessness and reduced exercise tolerance [2].