Predictors of early childhood outcome in candidates for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

To examine the effect of neonatal risk factors and treatment strategy on pulmonary, growth, and neurodevelopmental outcome of candidates for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

We prospectively assessed growth and neurodevelopmental outcome in a cohort of 190 neonates who had severe respiratory failure, no major congenital anomalies, and met institutional criteria for the use of ECMO. The relationships among perinatal risk factors, neonatal outcome, postnatal growth, and neurodevelopmental outcome were studied by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Compared with 52 infants successfully treated with conventional or high-frequency ventilation, the 138 ECMO survivors were more mature, had earlier, more severe pulmonary disease, and were more likely to have meconium aspiration. The ECMO survivors had significantly fewer ventilator days (9 vs 11), hospital days (23 vs 29), and less (12% vs 25%) chronic lung disease (CLD). At 12 to 30 months, mean developmental scores of ECMO survivors were similar to those of infants who survived without ECMO. Infants with CLD had significantly lower motor scores (86 +/- 23 vs 100 +/- 19) and were more likely to have cerebral palsy (27% vs 6%) than those without CLD. The risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcome was independently increased by CLD (odds ratio, 2.4; confidence interval, 1.2 to 4.6) and moderate or severe neonatal neuroimaging abnormalities (odds ratio, 6.4; confidence interval, 1.9 to 21.9).

Neonatal ECMO candidates treated with ECMO did as well or better than neonates whose conditions were managed with alternate treatment strategies. Adverse neurodevelopmental outcome was predicted by moderate or severe neonatal neuroimaging abnormalities and CLD, not by treatment with ECMO.