Background The role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the management of critically ill COVID‐19 patients remains unclear. Our study aims to analyze the outcomes and risk factors from patients treated with ECMO. Methods and Results This retrospective, single‐center study includes 17 COVID‐19 patients treated with ECMO. Univariate and multivariate parametric survival regression identified predictors of survival. Nine patients (53%) were successfully weaned from ECMO and discharged. The incidence of in‐hospital mortality was 47%. In a univariate analysis, only four out of 83 pre‐ECMO variables were significantly different; IL‐6, PCT, and NT‐proBNP were significantly higher in non‐survivors than in survivors. The Respiratory Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Survival Prediction (RESP) score was significantly higher in survivors. After a multivariate parametric survival regression, IL‐6, NT‐proBNP and RESP scores remained significant independent predictors, with hazard ratios (HR) of 1.069 [95%‐CI: 0.986‐1.160], p = 0.016 1.001 [95%‐CI: 1.000‐1.001], p =0.012; and 0.843 [95%‐CI: 0.564‐1.260], p =0.040, respectively. A prediction model comprising IL‐6, NT‐proBNP, and RESP score showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.87, with a sensitivity of 87.5% and 77.8% specificity compared to an AUC of 0.79 for the RESP score alone. Conclusion The present study suggests that ECMO is a potentially lifesaving treatment for selected critically ill COVID‐19 patients. Considering IL‐6 and NT‐per‐BNP, in addition to the RESP score, may enhance outcome predictions.

It remains unclear to what extent the outcomes and complications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) differ from non-COVID-19 ARDS patients. In an observational, propensity-matched study, outcomes after ECMO support were compared between 19 COVID-19 patients suffering from ARDS (COVID group) and 34 matched non-COVID-19 ARDS patients (NCOVID group) from our historical cohort. A 1:2 propensity matching was performed based on respiratory ECMO survival prediction (RESP) score, age, gender, bilirubin, and creatinine levels. Patients’ characteristics, laboratory parameters, adverse events, and 90-day survival were analyzed. Patients’ characteristics in COVID and NCOVID groups were similar. Before ECMO initiation, fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in the COVID group (median: 493 vs. 364 mg/dL, p < 0.001). Median ECMO support duration was similar (16 vs. 13 days, p = 0.714, respectively). During ECMO therapy, patients in the COVID group developed significantly more thromboembolic events (TEE) than did those in the NCOVID group (42% vs. 12%, p = 0.031), which were mainly pulmonary artery embolism (PAE) (26% vs. 0%, p = 0.008). The rate of major bleeding events (42% vs. 62%, p = 0.263) was similar. Fibrinogen decreased significantly more in the COVID group than in the NCOVID group (p < 0.001), whereas D-dimer increased in the COVID group (p = 0.011). Additionally, 90-day mortality did not differ (47% vs. 74%; p = 0.064) between COVID and NCOVID groups. Compared with that in non-COVID-19 ARDS patients, ECMO support in COVID-19 patients was associated with comparable in-hospital mortality and similar bleeding rates but a higher incidence of TEE, especially PAE. In contrast, coagulation parameters differed between COVID and NCOVID patients.

Background Coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality among young men is very high and the prevention methods usable in family practice (FP) settings are limited (1,2). The objectives of this study were to investigate the cardiovascular risk profile among young males (18–50) visiting their family doctor (FD) and to find out if using an interactive computer-based decision aid (DA) has advantages in reducing cardiovascular risk factors compared to usual counselling at the FD’s office. Methods The study was a cluster-randomized controlled trial including hypertensive male patients aged 18–50 recruited by their FD in 2015–2016. Patients with cardiovascular complications were not included. FDs were randomly divided into intervention groups (n = 9) and control groups (n = 11). Altogether, FDs recruited 130 patients, 77 into the intervention group (IG) and 53 into the control group (CG). IG patients were counselled about cardiovascular risk factors using a computer-based DA. CG patients received usual counselling by their FD. Data was collected with questionnaires, clinical examinations and laboratory analyses at the baseline and at the follow-up visit three months later. We compared the cardiovascular risk factors of the IG and CG patients. Results Baseline characteristics of the IG and CG patients were comparable. Of the whole study group, 51.5% (n = 67) of the patients had hypertension grade 1, 45.4% (n = 59) had grade 2 and 3.1% (n = 4) had grade 3. Twenty-seven per cent (n = 21) of the IG and 42% (n = 22) of the CG patients were smokers. We found that shared decision making with the DA was more effective in smoking reduction compared to usual FD counselling: 21 smoking patients in the IG reduced the number of cigarettes per day which is significantly more than the 22 smoking patients in the CG (− 3.82 ± 1.32 (SE Mean) versus + 2.32 ± 1.29; p = 0.001). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and the number of cigarettes per day, all showed a statistically significant reduction among patients who were using the DA. Male patients with hypertension grade 2 had a significantly greater reduction in their SBP (− 6.003 ± 2.59 (SE Mean) versus + 1.86 ± 2.58; p = 0.038) grade 1. Reduction of DBP, cigarettes per day and CVD risk in general were nearly significant in the IG whereas the CG showed an increase in all of these parameters. Conclusion Using interactive DAs at FD’s offices for counselling of young hypertensive male patients is one possibility to help patients understand their risk factors and make changes in their treatment choices. DAs can be more effective in achieving behavioural changes like reducing smoking or blood pressure compared to normal counselling.