Methods and techniques for gas analysis, ventilatory, and lung mechanics measurements have been described elsewhere [ 10].
Blood gas analysis, ventilatory parameters, hemodynamics and vasopressor therapy were documented immediately before initiation of ECMO, after two hours, thereafter once a day and for two days after ECMO treatment.
Clinical data on hemodynamic parameters, vasoactive drug administration, blood gas analysis, ventilatory status, fluid balance, antibiotic therapy and standard laboratory tests were obtained daily from the day of study enrollment to day 28 (or until ICU discharge, whichever came first).
After breakfast, Epworth sleepiness scale, pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gases analysis, and ventilatory response to CO2 were performed.
All patients performed exercise testing with ventilatory expired gas analysis.
Table 1 presents the ventilatory parameters, hemodynamics, and blood gas analysis before and after induction of lung injury.
Before each EELV measurement, hemodynamic and ventilatory parameters were recorded and arterial blood gas analysis performed (ABL 700; Radiometer, Copenhagen, Denmark) in order to calculate the arterial oxygen tension (Pao2)/Fio2 ratio.
All patients in the trial had arterial and venous gas analysis, and hemodynamic (cardiac rate, systolic and diastolic pressure) and ventilatory parameters (respiratory rate, tidal volume, f/VT index and maximal inspiratory pressure) during the MV time and in the 30th minute of SBT.
We also recorded the ventilatory index and collected arterial blood for blood gas analysis using a GEM Premier 3000 (Instrumentation Laboratory, Bedford, MA, USA).
Variables analyzed were: age, APACHE score, underlying disease, period of MV, length of stay (LOS) in ICU and hospital, basal ventilatory parameters, cardiorespiratory parameters in the first and 30th min, ECG, echocardiogram and blood gas analysis in the 30th minute in both methods.
Following resuscitation, ventilatory requirement will be judged by assessing the infant's spontaneous breathing efforts and blood gas analysis.
