Association of pulmonary arterial pressure with volume status in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

BACKGROUND: Data on pulmonary hemodynamic parameters in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are scarce. METHODS: The associations between pulmonary artery catheter parameters for the first 7 days of ECMO, fluid balance, and hospital mortality were investigated in adult patients (aged ≥19 years) who received venovenous ECMO for refractory ARDS between 2015 and 2017. RESULTS: Twenty patients were finally included in the analysis (median age, 56.0 years; interquartile range, 45.5–68.0 years; female, n=10). A total of 140 values were collected for each parameter (i.e., 7 days×20 patients). Net fluid balance was weakly but significantly correlated with systolic and diastolic pulmonary arterial pressures (PAPs; r=0.233 and P=0.011 r=0.376 and P<0.001, respectively). Among the mechanical ventilation parameters, above positive end-expiratory pressure was correlated with systolic PAP (r=0.191 and P=0.025), and static compliance was negatively correlated with diastolic PAP (r=−0.169 and P=0.048). Non-survivors had significantly higher systolic PAPs than in survivors. However, in multivariate analysis, there was no significant association between mean systolic PAP and hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.500; 95% confidence interval, 0.937–2.404; P=0.091). CONCLUSIONS: Systolic PAP was weakly but significantly correlated with net fluid balance during the early ECMO period in patients with refractory ARDS receiving ECMO.