Anticoagulant Medications: The Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Anticoagulation CollaborativE Consensus...

To derive systematic-review informed, modified Delphi consensus regarding the medications used for anticoagulation for pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for the Pediatric ECMO Anticoagulation CollaborativE (PEACE).

A structured literature search was performed using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) databases from January 1988 to May 2021.

Included studies assessed anticoagulation used in pediatric ECMO.

Two authors reviewed all citations independently, with a third reviewer adjudicating any conflicts. Eighteen references were used for data extraction as well as for creation of recommendations. Evidence tables were constructed using a standardized data extraction form.

Risk of bias was assessed using the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. The evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. Forty-eight experts met over 2 years to develop evidence-informed recommendations and, when evidence was lacking, expert-based consensus statements, or good practice statements for anticoagulation during pediatric ECMO. A web-based modified Delphi process was used to build consensus via the Research and Development/University of California Appropriateness Method. Consensus was based on a modified Delphi process with agreement defined as greater than 80%. Two recommendations, two consensus statements, and one good practice statement were developed, and, in all, agreement greater than 80% was reached.

There is insufficient evidence to formulate optimal anticoagulation therapy during pediatric ECMO. Additional high-quality research is needed to inform evidence-based practice for anticoagulation during pediatric ECMO.