On the last day of each period, 6 arterial samples were collected at 45-min intervals.
In addition, 7-mL arterial samples were collected manually at 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 60 min post injection and analysed for plasma and whole blood activity and the presence of radiolabelled metabolites, similarly as described in [31].
Plasma arterial samples were collected from ARDS patients on day 1 and when possible on day 4 along with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples on the same day.
Arterial samples were collected in heparinized plastic syringes and analyzed with a blood-gas analyzer (ABL 725; Radiometer, Copenhagen, Denmark) at the time of admission.
Timed arterial samples were collected during the following 60 min for determination of the time courses of plasma concentrations of leucine and [C]leucine.
Simultaneously, an arterial blood sample was collected from the arterial line and analyzed by the ABL 700® blood gas analyzer (Radiometer, Brønshøj, Denmark) [16].
Simultaneously, an arterial blood sample was collected from the arterial line and analyzed by the ABL 700® blood gas analyzer (Radiometer, Brønshøj, Denmark) [ 16].
As soon as possible after capture and 15 min after start of treatment an arterial blood sample was collected anaerobically from the auricular artery, using a pre-heparinized syringe (Portex® Arterial blood gas sampling kit, Smiths Medical ASD, New Hampshire, USA) and a 23-gauge needle.
An arterial blood sample was collected every 10 min for up to 30 min; afterwards, an arterial blood sample was collected every 5 min until the new ECMO adjustment was in place for 50 min.
An arterial blood sample was collected at admission.
