Fig. 2From: The impact of critical illness on the expiratory muscles and the diaphragm assessed by ultrasound in mechanical ventilated childrenChange in thickness of the diaphragm muscle (a), total expiratory muscles (OE + OI + TA) (b), and m. rectus abdominis (c) over the first 4 days of mechanical ventilation. Mean and standard error of the mean are plotted for each group and study day. Thickness of the muscles was significantly different between each group for all muscles on day 4 (P ≤ 0.0001). OE, obliquus externa; OI, obliquus interna; TA, transversus abdominisBack to article page