Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Cardiopulmonary Resusciation (ECPR) research priorities in Australia: A clinician survey

Background: The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for cardiorespiratory failure and during cardiopulmonary resuscitation has increased significantly and is resource intensive. High-quality evidence to guide management of patients on ECMO is limited. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the research priorities of clinicians for ECMO and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Cardiopulmonary Resusciation (ECPR) in Australia and New Zealand. Methods: A prospective, binational survey of clinicians was conducted in May 2022. Results: There were 133 respondents; 110 (84%) worked at an Australian ECMO centre; 28 (21%) were emergency, 45 (34%) were intensive care, and 41 (31%) were nursing clinicians. All aspects of ECMO care were identified by respondents as being important for further research; however, appropriate patient selection and determining long-term outcomes were ranked the highest. While most believed ECMO was efficacious, they felt that there was insufficient evidence to determine cost-effectiveness. There was uncertainty of the best model of ECPR provision. Equipoise exists for randomised studies into anticoagulation, blood product usage, and ECPR. Conclusions: This survey found strong support amongst clinicians for further research into the optimal use of ECMO and ECPR and provides a frame work for prioritising future clinical trials and research agendas. & COPY; 2022 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

This study conducted a survey among clinicians in Australia and New Zealand and found strong support for further research on optimizing the use of ECMO and ECPR. The results provide a framework for prioritizing future clinical trials and research agendas.