ABSTRACT
Background: Evidence of cerebrovascular complications in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requiring veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) is limited. The aim of our study is to characterize the prevalence and risk factors of stroke secondary to COVID-19 in patients on V-V ECMO. Methods: We analyzed prospectively collected observational data of adults from 380 institutions of 53 countries in the COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium (COVID Critical) registry. We used univariable and multivariable survival modeling to identify risk factors for stroke during ECMO. Cox proportional hazards and Fine-Gray models were used, with death and discharge treated as competing risks. Results: 595 patients (median age [IQR]: 51 years [42-59]; male: 70.8%) had V-V ECMO support. Forty-three patients (7.2%) suffered strokes, 83.7% of which were hemorrhagic. In multivariable survival analysis, obesity [adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR)=2.19, 95% CI=1.05–4.59] and use of vasopressors before ECMO (aHR=2.37, 95% CI =1.08–5.22) were associated with an increased risk of stroke. Relative ΔPaCO2 of negative 26% and relative ΔPaO2 of positive 24% at 48-hours of ECMO initiation were observed in stroke patients in comparison to relative ΔPaCO2 of negative 17% and relative ΔPaO2 of positive 7% in the non-stroke group. Patients with acute stroke had a 79% in-hospital mortality compared with a 45% mortality for stroke-free patients.Conclusion: Our study highlights the association of obesity and pre-ECMO vasopressor use with the development of stroke in COVID-19 patients on V-V ECMO. Also, the importance of relative decrease in PaCO2 and moderate hyperoxia within 48-hours after ECMO initiation were additional risk factors.