Prognostic effect of estimated glomerular filtration rate in patients with cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest undergoing percutaneous veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

BACKGROUND: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) can improve survival in patients with cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest. We investigated the association between initial renal function and clinical outcome in patients undergoing VA-ECMO for cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest.

METHODS: This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study of 287 patients who underwent ECMO at our hospital from January 2005 to December 2014. We excluded 70 patients with non-cardiogenic events. The remaining 217 patients were divided into 2 groups according to initial estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): Initial high eGFR (non-renal failure: non-RF) group: eGFR≥60ml/min/1.73m(2) (n=73) and initial low eGFR (RF) group: eGFR<60ml/min/1.73m(2) (n=144). Clinical outcome was defined as all-cause death at 30 days after extracorporeal life support.

RESULTS: VA-ECMO was begun in 87% of patients for cardiac arrest. The non-RF group was significantly younger (51.6 vs. 62.6 years), had lower body mass index (22.8 vs. 24.7kg/m(2)), lower blood urea nitrogen (14.4 vs. 23.9mg/dl), and lower K (4.0 vs. 4.5mEq/l, all p<0.05) than the RF group. Incidence of all-cause death at 30 days was significantly lower in the non-RF than RF group (49% vs. 76%, p<0.0001). Initial low eGFR was an independent predictor of mortality after adjustment for multiple cofounders (OR: 4.08, 95% CI: 1.77-9.42, p<0.001). Kaplan-Meier curve showed better outcome in the non-RF versus RF group (p=0.0009).

CONCLUSION: An initial low eGFR may predict worse clinical outcome in patients undergoing VA-ECMO for cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest.