Weeks alive and out of hospital among adult ECMO survivors: a multicentre registry-based study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: To describe the one-year clinical trajectories and healthcare utilisation of adult patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Retrospective, multicentre, population-based cohort study, including adult patients (≥ 18 years) who received venovenous (VV-) ECMO, venoarterial (VA-) ECMO, or extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) in public hospitals in Hong Kong between January 2010 and August 2024. Patients were followed for one year from ECMO initiation. The primary outcome was time alive and out of hospital. A total of 1,617 patients (635 VV-ECMO, 616 VA-ECMO, 366 eCPR) were included. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 56 (45–64) years. Survival to hospital discharge varied by ECMO modality: 66.5% for VV-ECMO, 46.9% for VA-ECMO, and 28.1% for eCPR. Notably, survival was sustained after hospital discharge across ECMO modalities, with one-year survival rates of 64.6%, 45.1%, and 27.3%, respectively. Among the 814 hospital survivors, the median (IQR) time spent alive and out of hospital in the year after ECMO initiation was 45.3 (38.7–48.3) weeks (VV-ECMO), 45.4 (39.1–48.4) weeks (VA-ECMO), and 46.3 (37.7–48.7) weeks (eCPR). However, among hospital survivors, 29.5% had at least one unplanned readmission, and patients attended a median (IQR) of 13 (7–23) outpatient clinic visits during the one-year follow-up period. Patients who received ECMO and who survived to hospital discharge had reasonable one-year survival. Despite a median of > 45 weeks spent alive and out of hospital, this was accompanied by a significant ongoing healthcare burden, highlighting the need for robust ECMO survivorship care.
Source: Critical Care
Authors: Emmanuel Hei-Lok Cheung, April Ip, Junjie Ma, Qi-Man Shi, Grace Sin-Man Lam, Hoi-Ping Shum, Dominic So, Yu-Yeung Yip, George Wing-Yiu Ng, Ka Ming Kwok, Steven K.H. Ling, Calvin Yuk Wang Tam, Tammy Sin-Kwan Ma, Wallace Chun-Wai Ngai, Jacky Y. Suen, Simon Wai-Ching Sin, Shannon M. Fernando, Carol L Hodgson, Eddy Fan, Peter Tanuseputro, Pauline Yeung Ng
Institutions: Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, United Christian Hospital, Tuen Mun Hospital, The University of Queensland, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Queen's University, Lakeridge Health, The Alfred Hospital, Monash University, University of Toronto
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,190
OpenAlex ID: W7221944235
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