title: Neurologic Complications of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The rate and outcomes of neurologic complications of patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to identify these parameters in ECMO patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients receiving ECMO were selected from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between 2001-2011. The rate and outcomes of neurologic complications [acute ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and seizures] among these patients was determined. Discharge status, mortality, length of stay, and hospitalization costs were compared between patients with and without neurologic complications using chi-squared tests for categorical variables and Student's t-test for continuous variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 23,951 patients were included in this study, of which 2,604 (10.9%) suffered neurologic complications of seizure (4.1%), stroke (4.1%), or ICH (3.6%). When compared to patients without neurologic complications, acute ischemic stroke patients had significantly higher rates of discharge to a long-term facility (12.2% vs. 6.8%, p<0.0001) and a significantly longer mean length of stay (41.6 days vs. 31.9 days, p<0.0001). ICH patients had significantly higher rates of discharge to a long-term facility (9.5% vs. 6.8%, p=0.007), significantly higher mortality rates (59.7% vs. 50.0%, p<0.0001), and a significantly longer mean length of stay (41.8 days vs. 31.9 days) compared to patients without neurologic complications. These outcomes did not differ significantly between seizure patients and patients without neurologic complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the increasing utilization of ECMO and the high costs and poor outcomes associated with neurologic complications, more research is needed to help determine the best way to prevent these sequelae in this patient population.
authors: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. nasr.deena@mayo.edu.
authors: Deena M
authors: DM
authors: Nasr
authors: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors: Alejandro A
authors: AA
authors: Rabinstein
keywords: extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; neurology/neurologic (deficits, disease, injury); stroke