Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation resuscitation in adult patients with refractory septic shock.

OBJECTIVES: Experience with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for adult patients with refractory septic shock remains limited. We aimed to study the clinical features and outcomes of this patient group in an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation referral center in Taiwan.

METHODS: From January 2005 to December 2010, all adult patients in refractory septic shock and requiring venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for circulatory support were included in the present study. The variables analyzed included patient demographics; comorbidities; smoking status; hemodynamic, ventilatory, and laboratory parameters just before extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support; clinical course; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation details; complications; microbiology results; and outcomes. The primary endpoint was survival to hospital discharge.

RESULTS: A total of 52 patients, 39 men and 13 women, were included during a 6-year period. Their median age and body mass index was 56.8 years and 24.1 kg/m(2), respectively. Of the 52 patients, 39 (75%) had failure of at least 3 organ systems and 21 (40%) had developed cardiac arrest and received cardiopulmonary resuscitation at extracorporeal membrane oxygenation implantation. Of these 52 patients, 8 (15%) survived to hospital discharge. The nonsurvivors were significantly older than the survivors (59.3 vs 43.8 years; P = .009), and all 20 patients (38%) aged 60 years or older died.

CONCLUSIONS: In our single-center experience with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for adults with refractory septic shock, the outcomes of these patients remain unsatisfactory. From our findings, we suggest that if extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were to be used in this patient population, age 60 years or older might be a contraindication. Also, central extracorporeal membrane oxygenation could possibly be beneficial according to the favorable pediatric experience in published studies.