Table 1.

Differential diagnoses of failure to wean from mechanical ventilation

Motor neuron	Critical illness polyneuropathy
	Critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy
	Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
	Heavy metal toxicity
	Guillain–Barré syndrome
	Poliomyelitis vasculitis
Neuromuscular junction	Neuromuscular blockade
	Myasthenia gravis
	Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome
	Botulinum toxicity
Muscle	Critical illness myopathy
	Mitochondrial myopathy
	Muscular dystrophy (e.g., myotonic dystrophy)

Adapted from Shepherd et al.¹