Comorbidities in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a comorbidome-based analysis.

INTRODUCTION

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an advanced life support modality associated with global mortality rates ranging from 48.7 to 76.38%. However, a significant knowledge gap remains regarding the specific impact of comorbidities on patient prognosis, particularly within middle-income settings in Latin America, which are characterized by substantial underreporting.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between comorbidities and 30-day mortality in patients receiving ECMO support, distinguishing between venoarterial (VA) and venovenous (VV) configurations.

METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional cohort study was conducted on 436 adult patients requiring ECMO support at a high-complexity institution in Colombia between 2019 and 2024. Comorbidities were assessed using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). The association with mortality was quantified using Odds Ratios (OR), and prevalence was visualized using a "Comorbidome".

RESULTS

A total of 420 patients were included, with a mean age of 43.7 (SD:13.0) years and an overall mortality rate of 30%. In the overall ECMO cohort, the most frequent comorbidities were anemia (47.7%), obesity (32.1%), and metabolic disorders (22.0%). Regarding cannulation strategies, VA configuration accounted for 36% of cases, while VV accounted for 64%. Conditions most strongly associated with overall mortality included human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (OR 3.60), chronic kidney disease (OR 2.13), and hypertension (OR 1.68). Mortality associations were modality-specific: in VA-ECMO, chronic kidney disease and cancer presented the highest odds (OR 2.92), whereas in VV-ECMO, HIV infection showed the strongest association (OR 2.44).

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-existing comorbidities, particularly HIV, chronic kidney disease, and hypertension, are strongly associated with mortality in this ECMO population. Identifying these conditions and their modality-specific differences is crucial for optimizing candidate selection and guiding clinical management in Latin American intensive care units.