Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for acute respiratory distress syndrome in adults prognostic factors for outcomes

Despite a therapeutic option for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the survival benefit of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is still controversial in adults. This study was aimed at investigating the prognostic factors for ECMO-treated ARDS in adult patients. From 2012 to 2015, 49 patients (median age: 57 years) received VVECMO in our institution and were included in this retrospective study. The indication of VV-ECMO was a severe hypoxemia (PaO2/FiO2 ratio 35cmH2O and a FiO2 >0.8. To decrease the impact of pulmonary injuries associated with the high-pressure ventilation, the settings of MV on VV-ECMO were downgraded accorDing to our protocol. Outcomes of this study were death on VV-ECMO and death in hospital. Important demographic and clinical data during the treatment were collected for outcome analyses. All patients experienced significant improvements in arterial oxygenation onVV-ECMO.Twenty-four hours after initiation ofVV-ECMO, the median PaO2/FiO2 ratio increased from 58 to 172mmHg (P90 hours was the prognostic factor of death before hospital discharge (OR: 7, 95% CI: 1-29, P