ECMO Support Outcomes Analysis

Data were collected from electronic medical records of patients older than 19 years who received ECMO support. Included variables were as follows: demographic information, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores at intensive care unit (ICU) admission, etiology of respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, immunocompromised status, central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction, pre-ECMO hemodynamic data, mechanical ventilation parameters, and arterial blood gas data. Immunocompromised status and CNS dysfunction were defined according to the RESP study [12 (link)]. Immunocompromised status included hematological malignancies, solid tumors, solid-organ transplantation, high-dose or long-term corticosteroid and/or immunosuppressant use, and human immunodeficiency virus infection. CNS dysfunction included diagnoses of neurotrauma, stroke, encephalopathy, cerebral embolism, seizure, and epileptic syndrome. We collected information on adjunctive therapy such as the use of vasopressors, steroids, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), prone positioning, nitric oxide, bicarbonate infusion, and neuromuscular blockers. We also collected data such as the ECMO mode, ECMO duration, duration of mechanical ventilation to ECMO initiation, hospital stay, and tracheotomy. The ECMO mode was categorized as veno-venous, veno-arterial, and veno-arteriovenous. Outcome variables of the study were survival at discharge and ECMO weaning (survival within 48 h after weaning from ECMO).