Abstract:Objective To determine the value of plasma microRNA-206 (miRNA-206) combined with diaphragmatic function by bedside ultrasound in predicting the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation in elderly patients.Methods A total of 102 elderly patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in the emergency intensive care unit of our hospital from June 2020 to June 2023 were selected. They were divided into success group and failure group according to the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation. The plasma level of miRNA-206, indicators for diaphragmatic function and general data were compared between the success group and the failure group. The multivariable stepwise Logistic regression model was applied to analyze the factors influencing the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation in elderly patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to analyze the values of plasma miRNA-206, diaphragmatic function by bedside ultrasound and their combination in predicting the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation in elderly patients.Results The rate of weaning failure among the 102 patients was 33.33%. Compared with the success group, the diaphragmatic thickening fraction (DTF), diaphragmatic excursion (DE), and levels of plasma miRNA-206 and albumin (Alb) were lower (P < 0.05), the diaphragmatic contraction velocity (DCV) was greater (P < 0.05), the diaphragmatic rapid shallow breathing index (DRSBI), the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II(APACHE II) score and the proportion of early tracheotomy were higher (P < 0.05), and the age was older (P < 0.05) in the failure group. Multivariable Logistic regression analysis (inclusion of variables with P-value < 0.05 and exclusion of variables with P-value >0.10) showed that age [O^R = 1.089 (95% CI: 1.041, 1.139) ], APACHE Ⅱ score [O^R = 1.079 (95% CI: 1.029, 1.131) ], plasma level of miRNA-206 [O^R = 0.663 (95% CI: 0.502, 0.876) ], DTF [O^R = 0.587 (95% CI: 0.389, 0.887) ], DE [O^R = 0.744 (95% CI: 0.584, 0.947) ], DCV [O^R = 1.213 (95% CI: 1.059, 1.389) ] and DRSBI [O^R = 1.931 (95% CI: 1.029, 3.622) ] were factors affecting the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation in elderly patients (P < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the optimal cut-off values of miRNA-206, DTF, DE, DCV and DRSBI for predicting the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation in elderly patients were 0.50, 34.36%, 9.60 mm, 1.50 cm/s and 1.90 time/(min?mm), with the sensitivities being 73.53% (95% CI: 0.556, 0.871), 67.65% (95% CI: 0.495, 0.826), 61.76% (95% CI: 0.436, 0.778), 70.59% (95% CI: 0.525, 0.849) and 64.71% (95% CI: 0.465, 0.803), the specificities being 70.59% (95% CI: 0.583, 0.810), 73.53% (95% CI: 0.614, 0.835), 75.00% (95% CI: 0.630, 0.847), 72.06% (95% CI: 0.599, 0.823) and 79.41% (95% CI: 0.679, 0.883), and the areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) being 0.709, 0.715, 0.645, 0.742 and 0.719. The sensitivity, specificity and the AUC of combined detection of the above indicators for predicting the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation in elderly patients were 97.06% (95% CI: 0.847, 0.999), 69.12% (95% CI: 0.567, 0.798) and 0.851, respectively.Conclusions Plasma miRNA-206 combined with diaphragmatic function by bedside ultrasound has a high predictive value for the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation in elderly patients.