Table 2. Patient characteristics

Variable / All patients
(n=132) / Patients without GI bleeding (n=114) / Patients with GI Bleeding (n=18) / P value*
Age years median [Q1, Q3] / 50 [33, 61.5] / 49 [32, 61] / 54 [44, 62] / 0.23
Male n (%) / 81 (61.4) / 70 (61.4%) / 11 (61.1%) / 0.98
Diabetes Mellitus n (%) / 22 (16.7) / 21 (18.4%) / 1 (5.6%) / 0.17
Hypertension n (%) / 65 (49.2) / 54 (47.4%) / 11 (61.1%) / 0.28
Left ventricular ejection fraction prior to ECLS (%) median [Q1, Q3] / 50 [30, 60] / 50 [35, 60] / 45 [30, 65] / 0.72
Chronic lung disease n (%) / 34 (25.8) / 29 (25.4%) / 5 (27.8%) / 0.83
Primary indication for ECLS n (%)
Post-cardiotomy shock
ARDS
Other / 38 (28.8)
54 (40.9)
40 (30.3) / 32 (28.1%)
46 (40.4%)
36 (31.6%) / 6 (33.3%)
8 (44.5%)
4 (22.2%) / 0.72
Cannulation n (%)
Central only
Peripheral only
Both central and
peripheral / 33 (25.0)
91 (68.9)
8 (6.0) / 29 (25.4%)
79 (69.3%)
6 (5.3%) / 4 (22.2%)
12 (66.7%)
2 (11.1%) / 0.62
Type of ECLS n (%)
VA ECLS only
VV ECLS only
Sequential VA and
VV ECLS / 54 (40.9)
64 (48.5)
14 (10.6) / 49 (43.0%)
55 (48.3%)
10 (8.7%) / 5 (27.8%)
9 (50.0%)
4 (22.2%) / 0.17
Total ECLS days median [Q1, Q3] / 7 [4, 13] / 7 [3, 11] / 12 [8, 23] / 0.002
Number of times over daily anti-coagulation goal median [Q1, Q3] / 5 [0, 17] / 4 [0, 17] / 8 [1, 25] / 0.18
In-hospital mortality n (%) / 65 (49.2) / 50 (43.9%) / 15 (83.3%) / 0.002
RBC transfusion median [Q1, Q3] / 19 [9, 30] / 18 [9, 28] / 28 [13, 71] / 0.04

ARDS=acute respiratory distress syndrome, ECLS=extracorporeal life support, VA=veno-arterial, VV=veno-venous,

*p value represents comparison between patients with and without GI bleeding

Table 3. Details of gastrointestinal bleeds

Variable / Value
ECLS day when bleed occurred median [Q1, Q3] / 8 [6, 11]
History of previous GI bleeding n (%) / 2 (11.1%)
History of gastro-esophageal reflux disease n (%) / 4 (22.2%)
Presentation of GI bleed n (%)
Coffee ground emesis
Hematemsis
Hematochezia
Melena
Other / 10 (55.6%)
1 (5.6%)
3 (16.7%)
6 (33.3%)
2 (11.1%)
Diagnostics performed n (%)
EGD
Colonoscopy
Tagged RBC scan
Exploratory Laparotomy* / 7 (38.9%)
4 (22.2%)
1 (5.6%)
1 (5.6%)
Diagnosis n (%)
No definitive diagnosis
Stress gastritis
Other# / 9 (50.0%)
7 (38.9%)
2 (11.1%)
Stress ulcer prophylaxis drug at time of bleed n (%)
PPI
H2 blocker
None / 14 (77.8%)
3 (16.7%)
1 (5.6%)

ECLS=extracorporeal life support, EGD=esophagogastroduodenoscopy, GI=gastrointestinal, PPI=proton pump inhibitor, RBC=red blood cell

*One patient bled from a recent roux-en-y gastric bypass anastamosis.

#One patient had a diagnosis of diffuse colitis and a large rectal ulcer; one patient bled from an ostomy site