Quality of Life and Mental Health in COVID-ARDS Survivors After V-V ECMO Support: Results from the Freiburg ECMO Outcome Study (FEOS)

<b>Introduction</b>: Desirable outcome after venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is frequently defined by survival. However, quality of life (QoL) and mental health status may take precedence over mere survival, from a patient-centered perspective. We aimed to evaluate QoL and mental health status in survivors after V-V ECMO for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related ARDS, hypothesizing a similar QoL comparable to the general population. <b>Methods</b>: All patients supported with venovenous ECMO for COVID-19-related ARDS between 01/2020 and 03/2022 in our center were included. Survivors were invited to participate in a follow-up interview assessing QoL, anxiety, and depression one year after hospital discharge. Primary endpoint was the quality of life, measured by the SF-36 questionnaire, with results compared to data from the DEGS1 study (German normative population). <b>Results</b>: During the study period, 97 patients received venovenous ECMO for COVID-19 ARDS at our ICU. Overall, 43/97 (44.3%) survived, and 21/97 (21.6%) completed the SF-36 questionnaire. The median follow-up duration was 1.7 years. Patients who completed the SF-36 were significantly younger than those who did not (48.7 vs. 55.6 years, <i>p</i> = 0.012); other patient characteristics and ECMO parameters were similar between those with and without questionnaire. Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder were detected in 33%, 14%, and 29% of patients, respectively. Compared to the German normative population, ECMO survivors had significantly lower QoL (mean 77.2 vs. 61.0, <i>p</i> < 0.001). <b>Conclusions</b>: QoL and mental health status after venovenous ECMO for ARDS was significantly lower compared to the normative population. These findings highlight the importance of further research and comprehensive follow-up care for ECMO survivors.