Extracorporeal Carbon Dioxide Removal to Avoid Invasive Ventilation During Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: VENT-AVOID Trial - A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Rationale: It is unclear whether extracorporeal CO2 removal (ECCO2R) can reduce the rate of intubation or the total time on invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in adults experiencing an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objectives: To determine whether ECCO2R increases the number of ventilator-free days within the first 5 days postrandomization (VFD-5) in exacerbation of COPD in patients who are either failing noninvasive ventilation (NIV) or who are failing to wean from IMV. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in 41 U.S. institutions (2018-2022) (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03255057). Subjects were randomized to receive either standard care with venovenous ECCO2R (NIV stratum: n = 26; IMV stratum: n = 32) or standard care alone (NIV stratum: n = 22; IMV stratum: n = 33). Measurements and Main Results: The trial was stopped early because of slow enrollment and enrolled 113 subjects of the planned sample size of 180. There was no significant difference in the median VFD-5 between the arms controlled by strata (P = 0.36). In the NIV stratum, the median VFD-5 for both arms was 5 days (median shift = 0.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0-0.0). In the IMV stratum, the median VFD-5 in the standard care and ECCO2R arms were 0.25 and 2 days, respectively; median shift = 0.00 (95% confidence interval: 0.00-1.25). In the NIV stratum, all-cause in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the ECCO2R arm (22% vs. 0%, P = 0.02) with no difference in the IMV stratum (17% vs. 15%, P = 0.73). Conclusions: In subjects with exacerbation of COPD, the use of ECCO2R compared with standard care did not improve VFD-5. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03255057).

Anticoagulation and Bleeding during Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Insights from the PROTECMO Study.

Rationale: Definitive guidelines for anticoagulation management during veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) are lacking, whereas bleeding complications continue to pose major challenges. Objectives: To describe anticoagulation modalities and bleeding events in adults receiving VV ECMO. Methods: This was an international prospective observational study in 41 centers, from December 2018 to February 2021. Anticoagulation was recorded daily in terms of type, dosage, and monitoring strategy. Bleeding events were reported according to site, severity, and impact on mortality. Measurements and Main Results: The study cohort included 652 patients, and 8,471 days on ECMO were analyzed. Unfractionated heparin was the initial anticoagulant in 77% of patients, and the most frequently used anticoagulant during the ECMO course (6,221 d; 73%). Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) was the most common test for monitoring coagulation (86% of days): the median value was 52 seconds (interquartile range, 39 to 61 s) but dropped by 5.3 seconds after the first bleeding event (95% confidence interval, -7.4 to -3.2; P < 0.01). Bleeding occurred on 1,202 days (16.5%). Overall, 342 patients (52.5%) experienced at least one bleeding event (one episode every 215 h on ECMO), of which 10 (1.6%) were fatal. In a multiple penalized Cox proportional hazard model, higher aPTT was a potentially modifiable risk factor for the first episode of bleeding (for 20-s increase; hazard ratio, 1.07). Conclusions: Anticoagulation during VV ECMO was a dynamic process, with frequent stopping in cases of bleeding and restart according to the clinical picture. Future studies might explore lower aPTT targets to reduce the risk of bleeding.

Bilateral Femoral Cannulation Is Associated With Reduced Severe Limb Ischemia-Related Complications Compared With Unilateral Femoral Cannulation in Adult Peripheral Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Results From the Extracorporeal Life Support Registry.

OBJECTIVES: Peripheral venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) with femoral access is obtained through unilateral or bilateral groin cannulation. Whether one cannulation strategy is associated with a lower risk for limb ischemia remains unknown. We aim to assess if one strategy is preferable. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study based on the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry. SETTING: ECMO centers worldwide included in the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry. PATIENTS: All adult patients (≥ 18 yr) who received peripheral venoarterial ECMO with femoral access and were included from 2014 to 2020. INTERVENTIONS: Unilateral or bilateral femoral cannulation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome was the occurrence of limb ischemia defined as a composite endpoint including the need for a distal perfusion cannula (DPC) after 6 hours from implantation, compartment syndrome/fasciotomy, amputation, revascularization, and thrombectomy. Secondary endpoints included bleeding at the peripheral cannulation site, need for vessel repair, vessel repair after decannulation, and in-hospital death. Propensity score matching was performed to account for confounders. Overall, 19,093 patients underwent peripheral venoarterial ECMO through unilateral ( n = 11,965) or bilateral ( n = 7,128) femoral cannulation. Limb ischemia requiring any intervention was not different between both groups (bilateral vs unilateral: odds ratio [OR], 0.92; 95% CI, 0.82-1.02). However, there was a lower rate of compartment syndrome/fasciotomy in the bilateral group (bilateral vs unilateral: OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.66-0.97). Bilateral cannulation was also associated with lower odds of cannulation site bleeding (bilateral vs unilateral: OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.76-0.99), vessel repair (bilateral vs unilateral: OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.38-0.79), and in-hospital mortality (bilateral vs unilateral: OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.81-0.91) compared with unilateral cannulation. These findings were unchanged after propensity matching. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed no risk reduction for overall limb ischemia-related events requiring DPC after 6 hours when comparing bilateral to unilateral femoral cannulation in peripheral venoarterial ECMO. However, bilateral cannulation was associated with a reduced risk for compartment syndrome/fasciotomy, lower rates of bleeding and vessel repair during ECMO, and lower in-hospital mortality.

Characterizing the Racial Discrepancy in Hypoxemia Detection in Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: An Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry Analysis.

PURPOSE: Skin pigmentation influences peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) compared to arterial saturation of oxygen (SaO2). Occult hypoxemia (SaO2 ≤ 88% with SpO2 ≥ 92%) is associated with increased in-hospital mortality in venovenous-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) patients. We hypothesized VV-ECMO cannulation, in addition to race/ethnicity, accentuates the SpO2-SaO2 discrepancy due to significant hemolysis. METHODS: Adults (≥ 18 years) supported with VV-ECMO with concurrently measured SpO2 and SaO2 measurements from over 500 centers in the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry (1/2018-5/2023) were included. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine whether race/ethnicity was associated with occult hypoxemia in pre-ECMO and on-ECMO SpO2-SaO2 calculations. RESULTS: Of 13,171 VV-ECMO patients, there were 7772 (59%) White, 2114 (16%) Hispanic, 1777 (14%) Black, and 1508 (11%) Asian patients. The frequency of on-ECMO occult hypoxemia was 2.0% (N = 233). Occult hypoxemia was more common in Black and Hispanic patients versus White patients (3.1% versus 1.7%, P < 0.001 and 2.5% versus 1.7%, P = 0.025, respectively). In multivariable logistic regression, Black patients were at higher risk of pre-ECMO occult hypoxemia versus White patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18-2.02, P = 0.001). For on-ECMO occult hypoxemia, Black patients (aOR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.16-2.75, P = 0.008) and Hispanic patients (aOR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.15-2.55, P = 0.008) had higher risk versus White patients. Higher pump flow rates (aOR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.08-1.55, P = 0.005) and on-ECMO 24-h lactate (aOR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.03-1.10, P < 0.001) significantly increased the risk of on-ECMO occult hypoxemia. CONCLUSION: SaO2 should be carefully monitored if using SpO2 during ECMO support for Black and Hispanic patients especially for those with high pump flow and lactate values at risk for occult hypoxemia.

Mortality in Patients with Obesity and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Receiving Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: The Multicenter ECMObesity Study.

Rationale: Patients with obesity are at increased risk for developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Some centers consider obesity a relative contraindication to receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, despite growing implementation of ECMO for ARDS in the general population. Objectives: To investigate the association between obesity and mortality in patients with ARDS receiving ECMO. Methods: In this large, international, multicenter, retrospective cohort study, we evaluated the association of obesity, defined as body mass index ⩾ 30 kg/m2, with ICU mortality in patients receiving ECMO for ARDS by performing adjusted multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching. Measurements and Main Results: Of 790 patients with ARDS receiving ECMO in our study, 320 had obesity. Of those, 24.1% died in the ICU, compared with 35.3% of patients without obesity (P < 0.001). In adjusted models, obesity was associated with lower ICU mortality (odds ratio, 0.63 [95% confidence interval, 0.43-0.93]; P = 0.018). Examined as a continuous variable, higher body mass index was associated with decreased ICU mortality in multivariable regression (odds ratio, 0.97 [95% confidence interval, 0.95-1.00]; P = 0.023). In propensity score matching of 199 patients with obesity to 199 patients without, patients with obesity had a lower probability of ICU death than those without (22.6% vs. 35.2%; P = 0.007). Conclusions: Among patients receiving ECMO for ARDS, those with obesity had lower ICU mortality than patients without obesity in multivariable and propensity score matching analyses. Our findings support the notion that obesity should not be considered a general contraindication to ECMO.

Evolution of distal limb perfusion management in adult peripheral venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with femoral artery cannulation.

Limb ischaemia is a clinically relevant complication of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) with femoral artery cannulation. No selective distal perfusion or other advanced techniques were used in the past to maintain adequate distal limb perfusion. A more recent trend is the shift from the reactive or emergency management to the pro-active or prophylactic placement of a distal perfusion cannula to avoid or reduce limb ischaemia-related complications. Multiple alternative cannulation techniques to the distal perfusion cannula have been developed to maintain distal limb perfusion, including end-to-side grafting, external or endovascular femoro-femoral bypass, retrograde limb perfusion (e.g., via the posterior tibial, dorsalis pedis or anterior tibial artery), and, more recently, use of a bidirectional cannula. Venous congestion has also been recognized as a potential contributing factor to limb ischaemia development and specific techniques have been described with facilitated venous drainage or bilateral cannulation being the most recent, to reduce or avoid venous stasis as a contributor to impaired limb perfusion. Advances in monitoring techniques, such as near-infrared spectroscopy and duplex ultrasound analysis, have been applied to improve decision-making regarding both the monitoring and management of limb ischaemia. This narrative review describes the evolution of techniques used for distal limb perfusion during peripheral VA ECMO.

Outcomes With Single-Site Dual-Lumen Versus Multisite Cannulation for Adults With COVID-19 Respiratory Failure Receiving Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether multisite versus single-site dual-lumen (SSDL) cannulation is associated with outcomes for COVID-19 patients requiring venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry. Propensity score matching (2:1 multisite vs SSDL) was used to control for confounders. PATIENTS: The matched cohort included 2,628 patients (1,752 multisite, 876 SSDL) from 170 centers. The mean ( sd ) age in the entire cohort was 48 (11) years, and 3,909 (71%) were male. Patients were supported with mechanical ventilation for a median (interquartile range) of 79 (113) hours before VV-ECMO support. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was 90-day survival. Secondary outcomes included survival to hospital discharge, duration of ECMO support, days free of ECMO support at 90 days, and complication rates. MAIN RESULTS: There was no difference in 90-day survival (49.4 vs 48.9%, p = 0.66), survival to hospital discharge (49.8 vs 48.2%, p = 0.44), duration of ECMO support (17.9 vs 17.1 d, p = 0.82), or hospital length of stay after cannulation (28 vs 27.4 d, p = 0.37) between multisite and SSDL groups. More SSDL patients were extubated within 24 hours (4% vs 1.9%, p = 0.001). Multisite patients had higher ECMO flows at 24 hours (4.5 vs 4.1 L/min, p < 0.001) and more ECMO-free days at 90 days (3.1 vs 2.0 d, p = 0.02). SSDL patients had higher rates of pneumothorax (13.9% vs 11%, p = 0.03). Cannula site bleeding (6.4% vs 4.7%, p = 0.03), oxygenator failure (16.7 vs 13.4%, p = 0.03), and circuit clots (5.5% vs 3.4%, p = 0.02) were more frequent in multisite patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective study of COVID-19 patients requiring VV-ECMO, 90-day survival did not differ between patients treated with a multisite versus SSDL cannulation strategy and there were only modest differences in major complication rates. These findings do not support the superiority of either cannulation strategy in this setting.

Fibrotic-Like Pulmonary Radiographic Patterns Are Not Associated With Adverse Outcomes in COVID-19 Chronic Critical Illness.

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary fibrosis is a feared complication of COVID-19. To characterize the risks and outcomes associated with fibrotic-like radiographic abnormalities in patients with COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and chronic critical illness. DESIGN: Single-center prospective cohort study. SETTING: We examined chest CT scans performed between ICU discharge and 30 days after hospital discharge using established methods to quantify nonfibrotic and fibrotic-like patterns. PATIENTS: Adults hospitalized with COVID-19-related ARDS and chronic critical illness (> 21 d of mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy, and survival to ICU discharge) between March 2020 and May 2020. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We tested associations of fibrotic-like patterns with clinical characteristics and biomarkers, and with time to mechanical ventilator liberation and 6-month survival, controlling for demographics, comorbidities, and COVID-19 therapies. A total of 141 of 616 adults (23%) with COVID-19-related ARDS developed chronic critical illness, and 64 of 141 (46%) had a chest CT a median (interquartile range) 66 days (42-82 d) after intubation. Fifty-five percent had fibrotic-like patterns characterized by reticulations and/or traction bronchiectasis. In adjusted analyses, interleukin-6 level on the day of intubation was associated with fibrotic-like patterns (odds ratio, 4.40 per quartile change; 95% CI, 1.90-10.1 per quartile change). Other inflammatory biomarkers, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, age, tidal volume, driving pressure, and ventilator days were not. Fibrotic-like patterns were not associated with longer time to mechanical ventilator liberation or worse 6-month survival. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of adults with COVID-19-associated chronic critical illness have fibrotic-like patterns that are associated with higher interleukin-6 levels at intubation. Fibrotic-like patterns are not associated with longer time to liberation from mechanical ventilation or worse 6-month survival.

Prolonged Unconsciousness is Common in COVID-19 and Associated with Hypoxemia.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to estimate the time to recovery of command-following and associations between hypoxemia with time to recovery of command-following. METHODS: In this multicenter, retrospective, cohort study during the initial surge of the United States' pandemic (March-July 2020) we estimate the time from intubation to recovery of command-following, using Kaplan Meier cumulative-incidence curves and Cox proportional hazard models. Patients were included if they were admitted to 1 of 3 hospitals because of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), required endotracheal intubation for at least 7 days, and experienced impairment of consciousness (Glasgow Coma Scale motor score <6). RESULTS: Five hundred seventy-one patients of the 795 patients recovered command-following. The median time to recovery of command-following was 30 days (95% confidence interval [CI] = 27-32 days). Median time to recovery of command-following increased by 16 days for patients with at least one episode of an arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2 ) value ≤55 mmHg (p < 0.001), and 25% recovered ≥10 days after cessation of mechanical ventilation. The time to recovery of command-following  was associated with hypoxemia (PaO2 ≤55 mmHg hazard ratio [HR] = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.46-0.68; PaO2 ≤70 HR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.85-0.91), and each additional day of hypoxemia decreased the likelihood of recovery, accounting for confounders including sedation. These findings were confirmed among patients without any imagining evidence of structural brain injury (n = 199), and in a non-overlapping second surge cohort (N = 427, October 2020 to April 2021). INTERPRETATION: Survivors of severe COVID-19 commonly recover consciousness weeks after cessation of mechanical ventilation. Long recovery periods are associated with more severe hypoxemia. This relationship is not explained by sedation or brain injury identified on clinical imaging and should inform decisions about life-sustaining therapies. ANN NEUROL 2022;91:740-755.

Continuous near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy monitoring to guide distal perfusion can minimize limb ischemia surgery for patients requiring femoral venoarterial extracorporeal life support.

BACKGROUND: Patients requiring femoral venoarterial (VA) extracorporeal life support (ECLS) are at risk of distal lower limb hypoperfusion and ischemia of the cannulated leg. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of using continuous noninvasive lower limb oximetry with near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to detect tissue hypoxia and guide distal perfusion catheter (DPC) placement on the rates of leg ischemia requiring surgical intervention. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who had undergone femoral VA-ECLS at our institution from 2010 to 2014 (pre-NIRS era) and 2017 to 2021 (NIRS era). Patients who had undergone cannulation during the 2015 to 2016 transition era were excluded. The baseline characteristics, short-term outcomes, and ischemic complications requiring surgical intervention (eg, fasciotomy, thrombectomy, amputation, exploration) were compared across the two cohorts. RESULTS: Of the 490 patients included in the present study, 141 (28.8%) and 349 (71.2%) had undergone cannulation before and after the routine use of NIRS to direct DPC placement, respectively. The patients in the NIRS cohort had had a greater incidence of hyperlipidemia (53.7% vs 41.1%; P = .015) and hypertension (71.4% vs 60%; P = .020) at baseline, although they were less likely to have been supported with an intra-aortic balloon pump before ECLS cannulation (26.9% vs 37.6%; P = .026). These patients were also more likely to have experienced cardiac arrest (22.9% vs 7.8%; P ≤ .001) and a pulmonary cause (5.2% vs 0.7%; P = .04) as an indication for ECLS, with ECLS initiated less often for acute myocardial infarction (15.8% vs 34%; P ≤ .001). The patients in the NIRS cohort had had a smaller arterial cannula size (P ≤ .001) and a longer duration of ECLS support (5 vs 3.25 days; P ≤ .001) but significantly lower rates of surgical intervention for limb ischemia (2.6% vs 8.5%; P = .007) despite comparable rates of DPC placement (49.1% vs 44.7%; P = .427), with only two patients (1.1%) not identified by NIRS ultimately requiring surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a smaller arterial cannula (≤15F) and continuous NIRS monitoring to guide selective insertion of DPCs could be a valid and effective strategy associated with a reduced incidence of ischemic events requiring surgical intervention.

Association between Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and pulmonary embolism severity, management, and in-hospital outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Hispanic and Latino patients are under-represented in existing healthcare disparities research in pulmonary embolism (PE). The goal of this study was to determine if differences in PE severity, treatment modality, or in-hospital outcomes exist for Hispanic or Latino patients with PE. METHODS: All PE cases from 2013 to 2019 at a single institution were reviewed. Clinical characteristics, imaging findings, intervention types, and in-hospital and 30-day outcomes were collected. Two cohorts were created based on patients' self-reported ethnicity. Outcomes were compared using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1265 patients were identified with confirmed PE; 474 (37%) identified as Hispanic or Latino. Hispanic or Latino patients presented with high-risk PE significantly less often (19% vs 25%, p = 0.03). On univariate analysis, Hispanic or Latino patients had lower rates of PE-specific intervention (15% vs 19%, p = 0.03) and similar rates of inpatient mortality (6.8% vs 7.5%, p = 0.64). On ordinal regression analysis, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity was associated with lower PE severity (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.54-0.89, p = 0.003). In subgroup analyses of intermediate and high-risk PEs, ethnicity was not a significant predictor of receipt of PE-specific intervention or in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: At this institution, Hispanic or Latino patients were less likely to present with high-risk PE but had similar rates of inpatient mortality. Future research is needed to identify if disparities in in-hospital care are driving perceived differences in PE severity and what addressable systematic factors are driving higher-than-expected in-hospital mortality for Hispanic or Latino patients.

Epidemiology of ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke in venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

BACKGROUND: While venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) provides lifesaving support for cardiopulmonary failure, complications may increase mortality, with few studies focusing on ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke. We aimed to determine the trends and associations of stroke incidence and mortality, and their risk factors, including the effects of annual case volumes of ECMO centers. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) registry, including adult V-A ECMO patients from 534 international centers between 2012 and 2021, excluding extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Temporal trend analyses were performed for stroke incidence and mortality. Univariate testing, multivariable regression, and survival analysis were used to evaluate the associations of stroke, 90-day mortality, and impact of annual center volume. RESULTS: Of 33,041 patients, 20,297 had mortality data, and 12,327 were included in the logistic regression. Between 2012 and 2021, ischemic stroke incidence increased (p < 0.0001), hemorrhagic stroke incidence remained stable, and overall 90-day mortality declined (p < 0.0001). Higher 24-h PaO2 and greater decrease between pre-ECMO PaCO2 and post-cannulation 24-h PaCO2 were associated with greater ischemic stroke incidence, while annual case volume was not. Ischemic/hemorrhagic strokes were associated with increased 90-day mortality (both p < 0.0001), while higher annual case volume was associated with lower 90-day mortality (p = 0.001). Hazard of death was highest in the first several days of V-A ECMO. CONCLUSION: In V-A ECMO patients between 2012 and 2021, 90-day mortality decreased, while ischemic stroke incidence increased. ELSO centers with higher annual case volumes had lower mortality, but were not associated with ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke incidence. Both ischemic/hemorrhagic strokes were associated with increased mortality.

How I manage differential gas exchange in peripheral venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Dual circulation is a common but underrecognized physiological occurrence associated with peripheral venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Competitive flow will develop between blood ejected from the heart and blood travelling retrograde within the aorta from the ECMO reinfusion cannula. The intersection of these two competitive flows is referred to as the "mixing point". The location of this mixing point, which depends upon the relative strengths of the native and extracorporeal pumps, will determine which regions of the body are perfused with blood ejected from the left ventricle and which regions are perfused by reinfused blood from the ECMO circuit, effectively establishing dual circulations. Because gas exchange within these circulations is dictated by the native lungs and membrane lung, respectively, oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal may differ between regions-depending on how well gas exchange is preserved within each circulation-potentially leading to differential oxygenation or differential carbon dioxide, each of which may have important clinical implications. In this perspective, we address the identification and management of dual circulation and differential gas exchange through various clinical scenarios of venoarterial ECMO. Recognition of dual circulation, proper monitoring for differential gas exchange, and understanding the various strategies to resolve differential oxygenation and carbon dioxide may allow for more optimal patient management and improved clinical outcomes.

Epidemiology and outcomes of early-onset AKI in COVID-19-related ARDS in comparison with non-COVID-19-related ARDS: insights from two prospective global cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent and severe complication of both COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and non-COVID-19-related ARDS. The COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium (CCCC) has generated a global data set on the demographics, management and outcomes of critically ill COVID-19 patients. The LUNG-SAFE study was an international prospective cohort study of patients with severe respiratory failure, including ARDS, which pre-dated the pandemic. METHODS: The incidence, demographic profile, management and outcomes of early AKI in patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation for COVID-19-related ARDS were described and compared with AKI in a non-COVID-19-related ARDS cohort. RESULTS: Of 18,964 patients in the CCCC data set, 1699 patients with COVID-19-related ARDS required invasive ventilation and had relevant outcome data. Of these, 110 (6.5%) had stage 1, 94 (5.5%) had stage 2, 151 (8.9%) had stage 3 AKI, while 1214 (79.1%) had no AKI within 48 h of initiating invasive mechanical ventilation. Patients developing AKI were older and more likely to have hypertension or chronic cardiac disease. There were geo-economic differences in the incidence of AKI, with lower incidence of stage 3 AKI in European high-income countries and a higher incidence in patients from middle-income countries. Both 28-day and 90-day mortality risk was increased for patients with stage 2 (HR 2.00, p < 0.001) and stage 3 AKI (HR 1.95, p < 0.001). Compared to non-COVID-19 ARDS, the incidence of shock was reduced with lower cardiovascular SOFA score across all patient groups, while hospital mortality was worse in all groups [no AKI (30 vs 50%), Stage 1 (38 vs 58%), Stage 2 (56 vs 74%), and Stage 3 (52 vs 72%), p < 0.001]. The time profile of onset of AKI also differed, with 56% of all AKI occurring in the first 48 h in patients with COVID-19 ARDS compared to 89% in the non-COVID-19 ARDS population. CONCLUSION: AKI is a common and serious complication of COVID-19, with a high mortality rate, which differs by geo-economic location. Important differences exist in the profile of AKI in COVID-19 versus non-COVID-19 ARDS in terms of their haemodynamic profile, time of onset and clinical outcomes.

Risks and Benefits of Ultra-Lung-Protective Invasive Mechanical Ventilation Strategies with a Focus on Extracorporeal Support.

Lung-protective ventilation strategies are the current standard of care for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome in an effort to provide adequate ventilatory requirements while minimizing ventilator-induced lung injury. Some patients may benefit from ultra-lung-protective ventilation, a strategy that achieves lower airway pressures and Vt than the current standard. Specific physiological parameters beyond severity of hypoxemia, such as driving pressure and respiratory system elastance, may be predictive of those most likely to benefit. Because application of ultra-lung-protective ventilation is often limited by respiratory acidosis, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal, which remove carbon dioxide from blood, is an attractive option. These strategies are associated with hematological complications, especially when applied at low blood-flow rates with devices designed for higher blood flows, and a recent large randomized controlled trial failed to show a benefit from an extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal-facilitated ultra-lung-protective ventilation strategy. Only in patients with very severe forms of acute respiratory distress syndrome has the use of an ultra-lung-protective ventilation strategy-accomplished with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-been suggested to have a favorable risk-to-benefit profile. In this critical care perspective, we address key areas of controversy related to ultra-lung-protective ventilation, including the trade-offs between minimizing ventilator-induced lung injury and the risks from strategies to achieve this added protection. In addition, we suggest which patients might benefit most from an ultra-lung-protective strategy and propose areas of future research.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation during Respiratory Pandemics: Past, Present, and Future.

The role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the management of severe acute respiratory failure, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, has become better defined in recent years in light of emerging high-quality evidence and technological advances. Use of ECMO has consequently increased throughout many parts of the world. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, however, has highlighted deficiencies in organizational capacity, research capability, knowledge sharing, and resource use. Although governments, medical societies, hospital systems, and clinicians were collectively unprepared for the scope of this pandemic, the use of ECMO, a highly resource-intensive and specialized form of life support, presented specific logistical and ethical challenges. As the pandemic has evolved, there has been greater collaboration in the use of ECMO across centers and regions, together with more robust data reporting through international registries and observational studies. Nevertheless, centralization of ECMO capacity is lacking in many regions of the world, and equitable use of ECMO resources remains uneven. There are no widely available mechanisms to conduct large-scale, rigorous clinical trials in real time. In this critical care review, we outline lessons learned during COVID-19 and prior respiratory pandemics in which ECMO was used, and we describe how we might apply these lessons going forward, both during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and in the future.

Venovenous extracorporeal CO2 removal to support ultraprotective ventilation in moderate-severe acute respiratory distress syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature.

BACKGROUND: A strategy that limits tidal volumes and inspiratory pressures, improves outcomes in patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2R) may facilitate ultra-protective ventilation. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of venovenous ECCO2R in supporting ultra-protective ventilation in moderate-to-severe ARDS. METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE were interrogated for studies (2000-2021) reporting venovenous ECCO2R use in patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS. Studies reporting ≥10 adult patients in English language journals were included. Ventilatory parameters after 24 h of initiating ECCO2R, device characteristics, and safety outcomes were collected. The primary outcome measure was the change in driving pressure at 24 h of ECCO2R therapy in relation to baseline. Secondary outcomes included change in tidal volume, gas exchange, and safety data. RESULTS: Ten studies reporting 421 patients (PaO2:FiO2 141.03 mmHg) were included. Extracorporeal blood flow rates ranged from 0.35-1.5 L/min. Random effects modelling indicated a 3.56 cmH2O reduction (95%-CI: 3.22-3.91) in driving pressure from baseline (p < .001) and a 1.89 mL/kg (95%-CI: 1.75-2.02, p < .001) reduction in tidal volume. Oxygenation, respiratory rate and PEEP remained unchanged. No significant interactions between driving pressure reduction and baseline driving pressure, partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide or PaO2:FiO2 ratio were identified in metaregression analysis. Bleeding and haemolysis were the commonest complications of therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Venovenous ECCO2R permitted significant reductions in ∆P in patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS. Heterogeneity amongst studies and devices, a paucity of randomised controlled trials, and variable safety reporting calls for standardisation of outcome reporting. Prospective evaluation of optimal device operation and anticoagulation in high quality studies is required before further recommendations can be made.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for COVID-19: evolving outcomes from the international Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry.

BACKGROUND: Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the care of patients with COVID-19 has changed and the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has increased. We aimed to examine patient selection, treatments, outcomes, and ECMO centre characteristics over the course of the pandemic to date. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry and COVID-19 Addendum to compare three groups of ECMO-supported patients with COVID-19 (aged ≥16 years). At early-adopting centres-ie, those using ECMO support for COVID-19 throughout 2020-we compared patients who started ECMO on or before May 1, 2020 (group A1), and between May 2 and Dec 31, 2020 (group A2). Late-adopting centres were those that provided ECMO for COVID-19 only after May 1, 2020 (group B). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality in a time-to-event analysis assessed 90 days after ECMO initiation. A Cox proportional hazards model was fit to compare the patient and centre-level adjusted relative risk of mortality among the groups. FINDINGS: In 2020, 4812 patients with COVID-19 received ECMO across 349 centres within 41 countries. For early-adopting centres, the cumulative incidence of in-hospital mortality 90 days after ECMO initiation was 36·9% (95% CI 34·1-39·7) in patients who started ECMO on or before May 1 (group A1) versus 51·9% (50·0-53·8) after May 1 (group A2); at late-adopting centres (group B), it was 58·9% (55·4-62·3). Relative to patients in group A2, group A1 patients had a lower adjusted relative risk of in-hospital mortality 90 days after ECMO (hazard ratio 0·82 [0·70-0·96]), whereas group B patients had a higher adjusted relative risk (1·42 [1·17-1·73]). INTERPRETATION: Mortality after ECMO for patients with COVID-19 worsened during 2020. These findings inform the role of ECMO in COVID-19 for patients, clinicians, and policy makers. FUNDING: None.

Prognostic factors for development of acute respiratory distress syndrome following traumatic injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Our purpose was to summarise the prognostic associations between various clinical risk factors and development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) following traumatic injury. METHODS: We conducted this review in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and CHARMS (Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for Systematic Reviews of Prediction Modeling Studies) guidelines. We searched six databases from inception through December 2020. We included English language studies describing the clinical risk factors associated with development of post-traumatic ARDS, as defined by either the American-European Consensus Conference or Berlin definition. We pooled adjusted odds ratios for prognostic factors using the random effects method. We assessed risk of bias using the QUIPS (Quality in Prognosis Studies) tool and certainty of findings using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology. RESULTS: We included 39 studies involving 5 350 927 patients. We identified the amount of crystalloid resuscitation as a potentially modifiable prognostic factor associated with development of post-traumatic ARDS (adjusted OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.15-1.24 for each additional litre of crystalloid administered within the first 6 h after injury; high certainty). Non-modifiable prognostic factors with a moderate or high certainty of association with post-traumatic ARDS included increasing age, non-Hispanic White race, blunt mechanism of injury, presence of head injury, pulmonary contusion or rib fracture and increasing chest injury severity. CONCLUSIONS: We identified one important modifiable factor, the amount of crystalloid resuscitation within the first 24 h of injury, and several non-modifiable factors associated with development of post-traumatic ARDS. This information should support the judicious use of crystalloid resuscitation in trauma patients and may inform development of risk stratification tools.

Tracheostomy Practices and Outcomes in Patients With COVID-19 Supported by Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: An Analysis of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry.

OBJECTIVES: The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in patients with COVID-19 has been supported by major healthcare organizations, yet the role of specific management strategies during ECMO requires further study. We sought to characterize tracheostomy practices, complications, and outcomes in ECMO-supported patients with acute respiratory failure related to COVID-19. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: ECMO centers contributing to the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry. PATIENTS: Patients 16 years or older receiving venovenous ECMO for respiratory support for: 1) COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 (through October 2021) and 2) pre-COVID-19 viral pneumonia in 2019. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We identified 7,047 patients who received ECMO support for acute respiratory failure related to COVID-19. A total of 32% of patients were recorded as having a tracheostomy procedure during ECMO, and 51% had a tracheostomy at some point during hospitalization. The frequency of tracheostomy was similar in pre-COVID-19 viral pneumonia, but tracheostomies were performed 3 days earlier compared with patients with COVID-19 (median 6.7 d [interquartile range [IQR], 3.0-12.0 d] vs 10.0 d [IQR, 5.0-16.5 d]; p < 0.001). More patients were mobilized with pre-COVID-19 viral pneumonia, but receipt of a tracheostomy during ECMO was associated with increased mobilization in both cohorts. More bleeding complications occurred in patients who received a tracheostomy, with 9% of patients with COVID-19 who received a tracheostomy reported as having surgical site bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Tracheostomies are performed in COVID-19 patients receiving ECMO at rates similar to practices in pre-COVID-19 viral pneumonia, although later during the course of ECMO. Receipt of a tracheostomy was associated with increased patient mobilization. Overall mortality was similar between those who did and did not receive a tracheostomy.