Is the leak test reproducible?

Background. The leak test is an accepted practice for evaluating airway ede ma and patient readiness for extubation. Reproducibility and interobserver reliability for this test have not been established. We studied the reprodu cibility and reliability of the leak test in and among health care professi onals. Methods. Thirteen consecutive intubated patients were tested in triplicate and in blinded fashion by three observers to determine the leak around the endotracheal tube before extubation. All patients were pharmacologically pa ralyzed and sedated before assessment. Results. Neither interobserver or intraobserver variability was statistical ly significant when a standardized method was used to determine the leak. Conclusion, The leak test is reliable by the same or different observers re gardless of varied clinical experience when using a standardized approach t o measuring the leak.