ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Increased analgosedation requirements have been described in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support due to unique pharmacokinetic challenges. There is a paucity of data comparing sedation requirements in patients on ECMO for ARDS secondary to SARS-CoV-2 versus other etiologies of respiratory failure. OBJECTIVE: To compare sedation and analgesia requirements in adult patients with SARS-CoV-2 versus non-SARS-CoV-2 ARDS requiring veno-venous (VV) ECMO support. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of adult patients receiving sedation and analgesia on VV-ECMO support. Patients were excluded if cannulated at an outside hospital for greater than 24 hours, expired within 48 hours of ECMO cannulation, or received neuromuscular blocking agents for greater than 7 consecutive days following ECMO cannulation. RESULTS: We evaluated 108 patients on VV-ECMO support, including 44 with non-SARS-CoV-2 ARDS and 64 with SARS-CoV-2 ARDS. The median daily dexmedetomidine requirements were significantly higher in the SARS-CoV-2 cohort (16.7 vs 13.4 mcg/kg/day, P = 0.03), while the median propofol daily requirements were significantly higher in the non-SARS-CoV-2 cohort (40.3 vs 53.5 mg/kg/day, P < 0.01). There was no difference in daily requirements of opioids, benzodiazepines, and ketamine between groups. Use of adjunct agents to facilitate weaning was significantly higher in the SARS-CoV-2 cohort (78.1% vs 43.2%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Patients with ARDS on VV-ECMO support require multiple analgosedative agents with concomitant use of nonparenteral adjunct agents. Further studies are needed to evaluate optimal analgosedation strategies in patients on ECMO support.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe clinically pertinent challenges of managing sedation in COVID-19 patients on venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) and describe considerations for enhanced safety and efficacy of pharmacological agents used. DATA SOURCES: A PubMed search was performed using the following search terms: ECMO, ARDS, sedation, COVID-19, coronavirus, opioids, analgesia, fentanyl, hydromorphone, morphine, oxycodone, methadone, ketamine, propofol, dexmedetomidine, clonidine, benzodiazepines, midazolam, lorazepam, and diazepam. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Relevant clinical and pharmacokinetic studies were considered. All studies included were published between January 1988 and March 2021. DATA SYNTHESIS: Patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to COVID-19 may progress to requiring VV-ECMO support. Agents frequently used for sedation and analgesia in these patients have been shown to have significant adsorption to ECMO circuitry, leading to possible diminished clinical efficacy. Use of hydromorphone-based analgesia has been associated with improved clinical outcomes in patients on VV-ECMO. However, safety and efficacy regarding use of other agents in this patient population remains an area of further research. RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: This review addresses clinical challenges associated with sedation management in COVID-19 patients requiring VV-ECMO support and provides potential strategies to overcome these challenges. CONCLUSIONS: Historically, sedation and analgesia management in patients requiring ECMO support have posed a challenge for bedside clinicians given the unique physiological and pharmacokinetic changes in this patient population. A multimodal strategy to managing analgesia and sedation should be used, and the use of enteral agents may play a role in reducing parenteral agent requirements.