Respiratory extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe sepsis and septic shock in adults: a propensity score analysis in a multicenter retrospective observational study

AIM: This multicenter retrospective observational study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support for septic patients with severe respiratory failure using propensity score analyses. METHODS: The data of severe sepsis patients from 42 intensive care units between January 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively collected. Propensity score matching analyses were undertaken for severe respiratory failure patients with/without veno‐venous ECMO support. The main outcome was in‐hospital all‐cause mortality. RESULTS: Of 3195 patients with severe sepsis, 570 had severe respiratory failure. Forty patients in the ECMO group were matched with 150 patients in the control group. A survival time analysis revealed no difference in the in‐hospital survival (hazard ratio, 0.854; 95% confidence interval, 0.531–1.373; P = 0.515). Two‐hundred and eighty‐five patients had severe respiratory failure induced by lung infection. Twenty‐five ECMO group patients were matched with 89 patients in the control group. In the ECMO group, the survival time was longer than in the control group (hazard ratio, 0.498; 95% confidence interval, 0.279–0.889; P = 0.018). The number of renal replacement therapy‐ and vasopressor‐free days improved. The ECMO group received more red blood cells transfused than the control group, but there was no significant difference in the rate of severe bleeding complications between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in the in‐hospital survival between the ECMO group and control group among overall septic patients with severe respiratory failure. However, in sepsis patients with severe respiratory failure induced by lung infection, ECMO support may improve their survival time.