Abstract 4136694: Impact of left ventricular support devices on myocardial and pulmonary recovery in patients with cardiogenic shock treated with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Background: Venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is used to treat cardiogenic shock. However, retrograde arterial perfusion from the femoral artery can increase left ventricular (LV) afterload, resulting in LV distention which may hamper myocardial recovery and worsen pulmonary congestion. An intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) can mitigate LV afterload, and Impella (Abiomed, Danvers, MA) can directly unload LV pressure. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LV support devices during VA-ECMO in patients with cardiogenic shock. Methods: We retrospectively collected data from 213 consecutive patients treated with VA-ECMO due to cariogenic shock at our institution between January 2013 and December 2023. Patients were categorized as either receiving VA-ECMO alone or VA-ECMO with an LV support device. The LV support device was characterized as VA-ECMO with IABP or Impella. Data were analyzed for mortality, weaning from VA-ECMO, and changes in pulmonary congestion using the congestion score index (CSI), which is a semi-quantitative approach to pulmonary congestion based on a 6-zone evaluation of chest radiography, scoring each zone from 0 (no congestion) to 3 (intense pulmonary edema). Results: In this study, 95 patients received VA-ECMO alone, whereas 118 patients received an LV support device (101 VA-ECMO with IABP and 17 VA-ECMO with Impella). LV support devices improved weaning from VA-ECMO (odds ratio, 3.09 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.75–5.55]; p<0.0001) whereas there was no difference in IABP versus Impella cohorts. Compared with VA-ECMO alone, patients with VA-ECMO with an LV support device had better survival at 30 days (OR, 3.04 [95% CI, 1.73–5.43]; p<0.0001). The rate of survival to discharge was better in VA-ECMO with an LV support device versus VA-ECMO alone (hazard ratio, 2.51 [95% CI, 1.72–3.65]; p<0.0001). The evaluation of pulmonary congestion using the CSI revealed that congestion significantly improved in VA-ECMO with Impella (changes of CSI: 1.86 to 1.36) but not in VA-ECMO with IABP (1.80 to 1.96) and VA-ECMO alone (1.94 to 2.14). Conclusion: An LV support device may be associated with reduced mortality and increased success in weaning off VA-ECMO in patients with cardiogenic shock. Impella may be particularly effective in reducing pulmonary congestion.