title: A comparison of survival with and without extracorporeal life support treatment for severe poisoning due to drug intoxication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) as a treatment for severe cardiovascular impairment due to poisoning is unclear. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis to compare survival among critically ill poisoned patients treated with or without ECLS.
  
  
  METHODS
  All consecutive patients admitted into 2 university hospitals in northwestern France over the past decade for persistent cardiac arrest or severe shock following poisoning due to drug intoxication were included. ECLS was preferentially performed in 1 of the 2 centers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-two patients (39 women, 23 men; mean age 48±17 years) fulfilled inclusion criteria: 10 with persistent cardiac arrest and 42 with severe shock. Fourteen patients were treated with ECLS and 48 patients with conventional therapies. All subjects received vasopressor and fluid loading. Patients treated with or without ECLS at ICU admission had comparable drug ingestion histories, Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS II score) (66±18), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (median: 11 [IQR, 9-13]), Glasgow Coma Scale score (median: 3 [IQR, 3-11]), need for ventilator support (n=56) and extra renal support (n=23). Thirty-five (56%) patients survived: 12/14 (86%) ECLS patients and 23/48 (48%) non-ECLS patients (p=0.02, by Fisher exact test). None of the patients with persistent cardiac arrest survived without ECLS support. Based on admission data, beta-blocker intoxication (p=0.02) was also associated with lower mortality. In multivariate analysis, adjusting for SAPS II and beta-blocker intoxication, ECLS support remained associated with lower mortality [Adjusted Odds Ratio, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.03-0.96; p=0.04].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the absence of response to conventional therapies, we consider that ECLS may improve survival in critically ill poisoned patients experiencing cardiac arrest and severe shock.
authors.affiliation: CHU de Caen, Department of Medical Intensive Care, Caen F-14000, France.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Masson
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Colas
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Parienti
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lehoux
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massetti
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Charbonneau
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saulnier
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Daubin
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate