Pes monitoring provides unique bedside measures for a better understanding of the pathophysiology of acute respiratory failure patients. Including Pes monitoring in the intensivist's clinical armamentarium may enhance treatment to improve clinical outcomes.

Spontaneous breathing effort during mechanical ventilation causes unsuspected overstretch of dependent lung during early inflation (associated with reciprocal deflation of nondependent lung). Even when not increasing tidal volume, strong spontaneous effort may potentially enhance lung damage.