Pulse Pressure and Acute Brain Injury in Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: An Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry Analysis

Low pulse pressure (PP) in venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is a marker of cardiac dysfunction and has been associated with acute brain injury (ABI) as continuous-flow centrifugal pump may lead to endothelial dysregulation. We retrospectively analyzed adults (≥18 years) receiving “peripheral” VA-ECMO for cardiogenic shock in the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry (January 2018-July 2023). Acute brain injury (our primary outcome) included central nervous system (CNS) ischemia, intracranial hemorrhage, brain death, and seizures. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine whether PP ≤10 mm Hg was associated with ABI. Of 9,807 peripheral VA-ECMO patients (median age = 57.4 years, 67% = male), 8,294 (85%) had PP >10 mm Hg versus 1,513 (15%) had PP ≤10 mm Hg. Patients with PP ≤10 mm Hg experienced ABI more frequently versus PP >10 mm Hg (15% versus 11%, p < 0.001). After adjustment, PP ≤10 mm Hg was independently associated with ABI (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06–1.48, p = 0.01). Central nervous system ischemia and brain death were more common in patients with PP ≤10 versus PP >10 mm Hg (8% versus 6%, p = 0.008; 3% versus 1%, p < 0.001). Pulse pressure ≤10 mm Hg was associated with CNS ischemia (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.02–1.56, p = 0.03) but not intracranial hemorrhage (aOR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.85–1.54, p = 0.38). Early low PP (≤10 mm Hg) at 24 hours of ECMO support was associated with ABI, particularly CNS ischemia, in peripheral VA-ECMO patients.