The effect of hyperoxia on neurologic outcomes in paediatric VA ECMO
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of hyperoxia on neurologic outcomes in paediatric venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
IRAS ID
348414
Contact name
Lakshmi Raman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a lifesaving therapy that is used for patients with severe illness of the heart or lungs. However, it is estimated that 20-40% of these patients will develop brain injury as a complication of their severe illness combined with this therapy. Therefore, there is interest in identifying modifiable risk factors that might improve the safety of ECMO. Recent studies have investigated the harmful role of excessive oxygen exposure in the development of brain injury which is hypothesized to directly damage brain cells and promote the formation of small blood clots.
Our study is an international collaboration and will be utilizing data from multiple hospitals for patients who were supported with ECMO from 2020 to 2024. We will examine the blood oxygen levels in the first 48 hours of ECMO therapy. Our main outcomes will be brain function determined by a standardized scoring tool, acute brain injuries (such as stroke), and seizures. We predict that patients who have higher levels of oxygen in their blood during this period will have poorer outcomes in these areas. If we can show a strong association between brain injury and high blood oxygen levels, this study will provide a foundation for future prospective studies to discern if the reduction in hyperoxia burden reduces brain injuries for pediatric ECMO patients.REC name
London - London Bridge Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/PR/0634
Date of REC Opinion
3 Jun 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion