Table 3. Patient data and characteristics before ECMO comparing acute vs. elective system-exchange.
| Acute | Elective | p-value | |
| Patients (n) | 37 | 46 | |
| Age (years) | 50 (36–58) | 50 (36–61) | 0.657 |
| Females (n; %) | 12; 32 | 19; 41 | 0.547 |
| BMI (kg * m−2) | 26.8 (23.9–34.6) | 27.7 (23.9–33.1) | 0.887 |
| Ventilation (days) | 1.0 (1.0–4.0) | 2.0 (1.0–9.0) | 0.350 |
| SOFA score | 11.0 (7.8–13.3) | 11.0 (8.0–13.0) | 0.652 |
| LIS | 3.33 (3.00–3.67) | 3.67 (3.33–3.67) | 0.196 |
| ARF (n; %) | 1; 2.7 | 4; 8.7 | 0.375 |
| NE (µg/kg/min) | 0.24 (0.07–0.51) | 0.21 (0.08–0.56) | 0.812 |
| PaO2/FiO2 (mmHg) | 70 (52–89) | 65 (54–80) | 0.677 |
| PaCO2 (mmHg) | 71 (57–103) | 64 (53–73) | 0.039 |
| apH | 7.20 (7.12–7.27) | 7.29 (7.19–7.37) | 0.005 |
| TV (ml) | 450 (350–560) | 477 (390–565) | 0.495 |
| TV/kg pred. BM (ml) | 5.01 (3.76–6.17) | 5.68 (3.87–7.80) | 0.205 |
| Minute ventilation (l/min) | 9.0 (6.4–12.2) | 11.0 (9.2–13.4) | 0.025 |
| PIP (cm H2O) | 33 (30–40) | 35 (31–38) | 0.582 |
| PEEP (cm H2O) | 14 (12–19) | 15 (13–18) | 0.529 |
| Platelets pre (/nl) | 178 (100–371) | 206 (103–283) | 0.647 |
| Hemoglobin (g/dl) | 10.8 (9.1–13.0) | 9.9 (8.6–11.5) | 0.110 |
| CRP pre (mg/l) | 107 (36–206) | 177 (108–250) | 0.041 |
| Leukocytes (/nl) | 11.8 (9.0–19.9) | 12.9 (7.5–21.2) | 0.927 |
| ECMO indication § | 0.910 | ||
| 1 (n; %) | 26; 70 | 32; 70 | |
| 2 (n; %) | 2; 5 | 6; 13 | |
| 3 (n; %) | 3; 8 | 2; 4 | |
| 4 (n; %) | 6; 16 | 6; 13 |
Data are presented as median (interquartile range) except for females, acute renal failure. SOFA, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment; LIS, Murray lung injury score; apH, arterial pH value; PaCO2, partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide; PaO2/FiO2, ratio of partial pressure arterial oxygen and fraction of inspired oxygen; PIP, peek inspiratory pressure; PEEP, positive end-expiratory pressure; TV, tidal volume; BMI, body mass index; ARF, acute renal failure; NE, norepinephrine; CRP, c reactive protein.
ECMO indications: 1, primary lung failure (bacterial, viral, fungal, aspiration pneumonia and H1N1 infection); 2, sepsis with secondary lung failure; 3, trauma with ARDS; 4, other pathologies (eg. pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary emboli, extensive bronchiectasis, pulmonary bleeding, tracheal laceration).