Journal of cardiac failure
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Meta Analysis Observational Study
Clinical outcomes in fulminant myocarditis requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a weighted meta-analysis of 170 patients.
Fulminant myocarditis (FM) is often a self-resolving entity if the patient survives the acute illness. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used successfully for treatment of cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest due to FM. However, clinical outcomes are not well understood, in part because of small study sizes. In the absence of large clinical trials, performance of pooled analysis represents the best method for ascertaining survival rates for ECMO. ⋯ More than two-thirds of patients with FM and either cardiogenic shock and/or cardiac arrest survive to hospital discharge with ECMO. These findings could be used in the risk-benefit analysis when initiation of a cardiopulmonary bypass system is being considered for FM.