Short- and Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Levosimendan in Veno-arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Weaning: The WEANILEVO Randomized Double-blind Multicenter Trial.
Pierre-Grégoire Guinot, Vivien Berthoud, Agnes Soudry-Faure et al.
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In 30 seconds
The WEANILEVO study was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy and safety of levosimendan in 80 patients undergoing weaning from veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). The study found no difference in VA-ECMO weaning failure rates between the levosimendan and placebo groups, both at 25%. However, acute kidney injury was significantly more common in the levosimendan group (62.5% vs 38.5%).
Key findings
- VA-ECMO weaning failure occurred in 25% of both levosimendan and placebo groups.
- Acute kidney injury at day 30 was more frequent in the levosimendan group (62.5% vs 38.5%).
- Patients receiving levosimendan had longer ICU stays (12 days vs 6 days).
- Mortality rates at 30 days were 18.0% in the levosimendan group vs 33.3% in the placebo group.
Why it matters
Understanding the effects of levosimendan on VA-ECMO weaning is crucial, as it may influence clinical decisions regarding pharmacologic support during this critical phase. The increased risk of acute kidney injury raises concerns about its safety profile.