High protein intake and nitrogen balance in patients receiving venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: A descriptive cohort study

Abstract Background This retrospective cohort study sought to describe the ability of high protein regimens to achieve nitrogen equilibrium in patients receiving venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO). Methods Patients aged ≥18 years with a documented nitrogen balance study (NB) on VV ECMO between February 2018 and December 2021 were included. Studies with incomplete 24‐h urine collections or changes in blood urea nitrogen ≥10 mg/dl were excluded. Data were summarized, correlation between first NB and potentially contributing variables was assessed with Kendall tau. Subanalysis described findings after stratifying for weight class (obese vs nonobese) and duration of VV ECMO at the time of NB. Results A total of 68 NBs in 30 patients were included; 47% of the cohort had obesity. The number of NBs per patient was 2.2 ± 1.1, which were completed on a median of 31.5 (interquartile range: 16, 53.8) days receiving ECMO. Nitrogen equilibrium or positive balance was achieved in 72% of studies despite elevated nitrogen excretion. Patients received 87.9 ± 16.8% of prescribed protein on NB days for average intakes of 2.4 ± 0.4 g/kg of actual weight per day and 2.4 ± 0.5 g/kg of ideal weight per day in patients without and with obesity. Median NB in patients without obesity was −1.46 (−8.96, 2.98) g/day and −0.21 (−10.58, 4.04) g/day in patients with obesity. A difference in median NB after stratification for timing was observed ( P = 0.029). Conclusion Nitrogen equilibrium can be achieved with high protein intake in adults receiving VV ECMO. NB monitoring is one tool to individualize protein prescriptions throughout the course of VV ECMO.