# Postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients older than 70 years: Characteristics, outcomes, and variables associated with mortality

## TL;DR

Older patients on postcardiotomy ECMO have higher mortality, and factors like stroke and complications can help predict outcomes.

## Contribution

Identifies specific preoperative and postoperative factors associated with mortality in older PC-ECMO patients.

## Key findings

- In-hospital mortality was 68.8% in patients ≥70 years compared to 56.3% in younger patients.
- Previous stroke and postoperative complications like bleeding and cardiac arrest were linked to higher mortality in older patients.
- 7-year postdischarge survival was significantly better in younger patients.

## Abstract

Age is the main determinant for mortality in patients requiring postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (PC-ECMO), but strategies to reverse this trend are unknown. This study investigates PC-ECMO outcomes in older patients (≥70 years) compared with younger patients (<70 years).

This retrospective study included patients who required PC-ECMO between 2000 and 2020. Variables independently associated with in-hospital mortality were identified using mixed Cox proportional hazards models.

The study included 2057 patients (mean age: 62.3 [first and third quartile: 19-94]; male patients: n = 1213 [59%]): 1376 (67%) were <70 years and 680 (33%) were ≥70 years old. Older patients had more preoperative comorbidities, whereas younger patients had lower cardiac function and more preoperative intubation and vasopressor use. In-hospital mortality was 56.3% (n = 775) and 68.8% (n = 468) in the <70 year and ≥70 year groups, respectively (P < .001). The 7-year postdischarge survival rate was greater for the younger patient group (P < .001). Variables associated with in-hospital mortality in older patients were previous stroke (hazard ratio [HR], 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.84), preoperative right ventricular failure (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1-2.1), aortic surgery (HR 1.65; 95% CI, 1.2-2.2), and postoperative complications including bleeding (HR 1.24; 95% CI, 1.0-1.5), cardiac arrest (HR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.3-2.1), and right ventricular failure (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.0-1.6).

PC-ECMO mortality is high in older patients. Preoperative factors including previous stroke and right ventricular failure and postoperative factors including bleeding, cardiac arrest, and right ventricular failure should be targeted to reduce in-hospital mortality after appropriate initial selection in older patients.