ALISO VIEJO, Calif. - March 5, 2025 – Patients hospitalized with severe pneumonia who require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) had worse outcomes when their diagnosis includes COVID-19, according to a new study that examined six years of national inpatient data.
“Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Outcomes: COVID-19 Pneumonia vs Non–COVID-19 Pneumonia” compares patients with COVID-19 who underwent ECMO with patients who underwent ECMO for other types of viral pneumonia by matching patient groups by sociodemographic variables and comorbidities, and then measuring outcomes. The study is published in American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC).
The study showed that after groups of patients were balanced by age, sociodemographic factors and comorbidities, those with COVID-19 who underwent ECMO were more likely to die than those who received similar treatment but did not have COVID-19. In addition, patients with COVID-19 who survived after undergoing ECMO had longer hospital stays, higher costs of care and greater likelihood of being discharged to places other than home.
For the analysis, the research team from SBH Health System, Bronx, New York, used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project - National Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer inpatient dataset in the United States.
From 2016 through 2021, more than 3 million adult patients were admitted to the hospital with pneumonia (COVID-19 or non-COVID-19). Of these, 5,680 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and 430 patients with non-COVID-19 pneumonia underwent ECMO.
“By looking at the relevant ICD-10 codes for diagnoses and procedures, we were able to examine the potential impact of demographics, hospital size, insurance, comorbidities and other factors on outcomes for patients who required ECMO as part of their management for pneumonia,” said co-author Francisco J. Gallegos-Koyner, MD, a resident physician at SBH Health System. “The increased risk of mortality cannot be solely attributed to factors like age or underlying comorbidities, but rather is related to factors directly associated with COVID-19.”
The study also confirmed the extent to which the number of patients treated with ECMO increased after the emergence of COVID-19. For instance, the number of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia treated with ECMO in 2020 and 2021 significantly exceeded the number of patients with non-COVID-19 pneumonia treated with ECMO during the combined six-year period from 2016 through 2021 that was included in the analysis.
To access the article and full-text PDF, visit the AJCC website at www.ajcconline.org.
About the American Journal of Critical Care: The American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC), a bimonthly scientific journal published by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, provides leading-edge clinical research that focuses on evidence-based-practice applications. Established in 1992, the award-winning journal includes clinical and research studies, case reports, editorials and commentaries. AJCC enjoys a circulation of about 130,000 acute and critical care nurses and can be accessed at www.ajcconline.org.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: For more than 50 years, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has been dedicated to acute and critical care nursing excellence. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. AACN is the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, with about 130,000 members and nearly 200 chapters in the United States.
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 27071 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656; 949-362-2000; www.aacn.org; facebook.com/aacnface; x.com/aacnme