Long-term quality of life in patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock.

Objective: The aim of our study was to explore long-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) survivors. Methods: Single-center prospective follow-up study. All patients in whom ECMO was initiated due to refractory cardiogenic shock between 2009 and 2014 were included in the study. We used Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey to evaluate HRQOL and IES-R questionnaire to assess incidence of PTSD. Results: Sixty-nine patients were treated with venoarterial (VA) ECMO during the study period. Nineteen patients survived until hospital discharge and 15 patients were alive at the study cut-off point in June 2017; mean follow-up time was 70.6 +/- 10 months. The average Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary scores amongst long-term survivors were 46.1 +/- 7 and 47.1 +/- 8, respectively. PTSD was evident in 4 out of 15 participants. Conclusions: Despite the complex clinical course and prolonged recovery, ECMO survivors achieved satisfactory levels of both mental and physical recovery, which were comparable to the age- and pathology-adjusted population means.