Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation complication

Pneumonia are the most frequent infectious complication in patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Veno-arterial (ECMO-VA), with a treatment failure rate of around 40%, even though antibiotic therapy is tailored to the germs identified. One hypothesis to explain this particularly high failure rate is the reduced pulmonary blood flow associated with ECMO offloading of the heart. Although there are no data to date on the pulmonary penetration of antibiotics in patients undergoing VA-ECMO, this phenomenon of pulmonary hypoperfusion could contribute to altering the alveolocapillary diffusion of antibiotics, thereby reducing their concentration in the pulmonary parenchyma.
Our hypothesis is that amikacin nebulization could increase bacterial clearance and, ultimately, limit treatment failure or recurrence of gram-negative bacilli (GNB) pneumonia in patients undergoing VA-ECMO.

Rationale: In patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), transfusion of red blood cells (RBC) is very common. This is possibly due to the application of liberal thresholds and the lack of evidence-based guidelines. Although RBC transfusion can be lifesaving, it is also a risk-bearing intervention with substantial risk for morbidity and mortality in this critically ill population. Also, with increasing scarcity, RBC transfusions are becoming more expensive. Furthermore, in the past decades it has been shown in several critically ill patient populations - not on ECMO - that maintaining a restrictive hemoglobin (Hb) threshold for RBC transfusion is non-inferior, including in cardiothoracic surgery, acute myocardial infarction and septic shock. Therefore, the investigators hypothesize that a restrictive transfusion threshold for RBC is safe to apply in patients on ECMO in comparison with a liberal transfusion threshold.
Objective: The primary objective of this trial is to study in a prospective randomized comparison whether a restrictive RBC transfusions strategy is non-inferior compared to a liberal strategy in patients on ECMO with respect to 90-day mortality.
Study design: Prospective multi-center randomized controlled non-inferiority trial.
Study population: Patients, 18 years or older, receiving ECMO.
Intervention: Restrictive RBC transfusion threshold: in case the Hb transfusion trigger of 7.0 g/dL (4.3 mmol/L) is reached, 1 RBC unit at a time will be transfused. The aimed Hb target range of the restrictive/intervention group will be 7.1 - 9.0 g/dL (4.3 - 5.6 mmol/L). Liberal RBC transfusion threshold: in case the Hb transfusion trigger of 9.0 g/dL (5.6 mmol/L) is reached, 1 RBC unit at a time will be transfused. Target range of the liberal group is defined as Hb 9.1 - 11.0 g/dL
Main study parameters/endpoints: The primary outcome parameter is 90-day all-cause mortality.
Secondary outcomes include: 1) proportion of patients on ECMO exposed to allogeneic RBC transfusion; 2) RBC volume infused per patient during ECMO; 3) reasons for RBC transfusion other than Hb triggers; 4) transfusion reactions; 5) time on ECMO; 6) length of hospital- and ICU-stay; 7) in-ICU morbidity; 8) quality of life (QoL), iMTA Medical Consumption Questionnaire (iMCQ) and Productivity Cost Questionnaire (iPCQ) at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months; 9) costs related to a) transfusion, b) hospital admission and c) transfusion-related sequelae.

Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) require close monitoring and interventions to support their recovery. The RECOMMEND Platform Trial aims to develop clear, high-quality evidence for ECMO care, to better inform clinicians in this rapidly evolving field.
The RECOMMEND Platform Trial will provide a 'platform' for funding, logistics, and training protocols. This approach enhances efficiency, allowing research to begin, and complete more efficiently. The platform maintains rigorous standards and provides a safe, cost-effective, and time-efficient method for generating knowledge about ECMO care.
Overall, platform clinical trials offer a dynamic and innovative approach that enables the simultaneous evaluation of multiple treatments and the rapid translation of scientific discoveries into improved patient care. The RECOMMEND Platform Trial has been informed by patient preferences and values and will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of various standards of care. This approach supports continuous learning and real-time clinical decision-making to improve patient outcomes.