The threshold value of stroke volume variation in predicting fluid responsiveness may change when positive end-expiratory pressure 10 cmH2O is applied. This must be considered when stroke volume variation is used to detect the fluid responsiveness to prevent volume overload in this mechanical ventilation setting.

Background. In most reports on ECMO treatment, advanced age is classified as a contraindication to VA ECMO. We attempted to investigate whether advanced age would be a main risk factor deciding VA ECMO application and performing VA ECMO support. We determined whether advanced age should be regarded as an absolute or relative contraindication to VA ECMO and could affect weaning and survival rates of VA ECMO patients. Methods. VA ECMO was performed on 135 adult patients with primary cardiogenic shock between January 2010 and December 2014. Successful weaning was defined as weaning from ECMO followed by survival for more than 48 hours. Results. Among the 135 patients, 35 survived and were discharged uneventfully, and the remaining 100 did not survive. There were significant differences in survival between age groups, and older age showed a lower survival rate with statistical significance (P = .01). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, age was not significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (P = .83) and was not significantly associated with VA ECMO weaning (P = .11). Conclusions. Advanced age is an undeniable risk factor for VA ECMO; however, patients of advanced age should not be excluded from the chance of recovery after VA ECMO treatment.

Background: This retrospective study was designed to evaluate preoperative pulmonary function test (PFT) results and skeletal muscle mass, represented by the erector spinae muscle (EM), as predictors of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in older patients undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer. Methods:The medical records, including preoperative PFT, chest computed tomography (CT) and PPCs, of patients older than 65 years undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer were retrospectively examined at Konkuk University Medical Center from January 2016 to December 2021. The sum of cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the right and left EMs at the level of the spinous process with the 12 th thoracic vertebra was used as the skeletal muscle mass (CSA Both ).Results: Data from a total of 197 patients were included in the analyses. In total, 55 patients had PPCs.The preoperative functional vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) showed significantly poorer values and the CSA Both had significantly lower values in patients with than in those without PPCs. The preoperative FVC and FEV1 showed significant positive correlations with CSA Both .Multiple logistic regression analysis identified age, diabetes mellitus (DM), preoperative FVC and CSA Both as risk factors for PPCs. The areas under the curves for FVC and CSA Both were 0.727 (95% CI, 0.650-0.803; P<0.001) and 0.685 (95% CI, 0.608-0.762; P<0.001), respectively. The optimal threshold values of FVC and CSA Both to predict PPCs based on a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were 2.685 L (sensitivity =64.1% and specificity =61.8%) and 28.47 mm 2 (sensitivity =62.0% and specificity =61.5%), respectively.Conclusions: PPCs in older patients undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer were associated with lower preoperative FVC and FEV1 values and a lower skeletal muscle mass. Skeletal muscle mass, represented by the EM, was significantly correlated with the preoperative FVC and FEV1. Therefore, skeletal muscle mass may be useful for the prediction of PPCs in patients undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer.