Near-fatal asthma treated effectively by ECMO

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an effective way to treat near fatal asthma, but physicians must remember the risk of complications, according to an abstract on a study scheduled to be presented at CHEST 2017.

The study covers a retrospective analysis of 371 children with asthma who were treated with ECMO; it used data collected by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry from 1988 to 2016. The median age of the children in the study was 7.5 years; the participant group was 43% white and 39% black, as well as 56% male, according to the abstract, which is mentioned in the program for the CHEST annual meeting.

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Median ECMO time was 123 hours, with 65% of procedures being venovenous (VV) cannulation and 33% of procedures being venoarterial (VA) cannulation. Nearly 90% of patients had hypercarbic respiratory failure, 34% had hypoxic respiratory failure, and 27% had combined respiratory failure. Children with hypercarbic respiratory failure were more likely to receive VV cannulation (P = .003), while children with hypoxic or combined respiratory failure were more likely to receive VA cannulation, (P = .0008 and .01, respectively).

About 80% of children experienced at least one complication, with 20% experiencing three or more. Children who had three or more complications were significantly less likely to experience lung recovery.

Of the children who received VV cannulation, 90% experienced lung recovery, whereas only 69% of children who received VA cannulation recovered. (P less than .0001). VA cannulation was also associated with a higher risk of neurological complications, while those who received VV cannulation were significantly more likely to survive.

The abstract is scheduled to be presented on Sunday Oct. 29 from 2:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. in Room 603 of Toronto Convention Centre South Building as part of the Acute Lung Injury & Respiratory Failure session, which will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

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Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an effective way to treat near fatal asthma, but physicians must remember the risk of complications, according to an abstract on a study scheduled to be presented at CHEST 2017.

The study covers a retrospective analysis of 371 children with asthma who were treated with ECMO; it used data collected by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry from 1988 to 2016. The median age of the children in the study was 7.5 years; the participant group was 43% white and 39% black, as well as 56% male, according to the abstract, which is mentioned in the program for the CHEST annual meeting.

MattZ90/thinkstock

Median ECMO time was 123 hours, with 65% of procedures being venovenous (VV) cannulation and 33% of procedures being venoarterial (VA) cannulation. Nearly 90% of patients had hypercarbic respiratory failure, 34% had hypoxic respiratory failure, and 27% had combined respiratory failure. Children with hypercarbic respiratory failure were more likely to receive VV cannulation (P = .003), while children with hypoxic or combined respiratory failure were more likely to receive VA cannulation, (P = .0008 and .01, respectively).

About 80% of children experienced at least one complication, with 20% experiencing three or more. Children who had three or more complications were significantly less likely to experience lung recovery.

Of the children who received VV cannulation, 90% experienced lung recovery, whereas only 69% of children who received VA cannulation recovered. (P less than .0001). VA cannulation was also associated with a higher risk of neurological complications, while those who received VV cannulation were significantly more likely to survive.

The abstract is scheduled to be presented on Sunday Oct. 29 from 2:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. in Room 603 of Toronto Convention Centre South Building as part of the Acute Lung Injury & Respiratory Failure session, which will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

[email protected]

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an effective way to treat near fatal asthma, but physicians must remember the risk of complications, according to an abstract on a study scheduled to be presented at CHEST 2017.

The study covers a retrospective analysis of 371 children with asthma who were treated with ECMO; it used data collected by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry from 1988 to 2016. The median age of the children in the study was 7.5 years; the participant group was 43% white and 39% black, as well as 56% male, according to the abstract, which is mentioned in the program for the CHEST annual meeting.

MattZ90/thinkstock

Median ECMO time was 123 hours, with 65% of procedures being venovenous (VV) cannulation and 33% of procedures being venoarterial (VA) cannulation. Nearly 90% of patients had hypercarbic respiratory failure, 34% had hypoxic respiratory failure, and 27% had combined respiratory failure. Children with hypercarbic respiratory failure were more likely to receive VV cannulation (P = .003), while children with hypoxic or combined respiratory failure were more likely to receive VA cannulation, (P = .0008 and .01, respectively).

About 80% of children experienced at least one complication, with 20% experiencing three or more. Children who had three or more complications were significantly less likely to experience lung recovery.

Of the children who received VV cannulation, 90% experienced lung recovery, whereas only 69% of children who received VA cannulation recovered. (P less than .0001). VA cannulation was also associated with a higher risk of neurological complications, while those who received VV cannulation were significantly more likely to survive.

The abstract is scheduled to be presented on Sunday Oct. 29 from 2:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. in Room 603 of Toronto Convention Centre South Building as part of the Acute Lung Injury & Respiratory Failure session, which will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

[email protected]