COVID-19 Pandemic Exacerbates Cardiac Arrest and ECMO Use Outcomes

Strategic Insights -

Researchers from the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiac arrest (CA) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use outcomes in the United States. The study found that CA incidence and mortality increased during the pandemic, while ECMO use declined. Adults with out-of-hospital (OHCA) or in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) were identified in the 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample. The study concluded that COVID-19 patients with CA had dismal outcomes, suggesting no role for ECMO in this population.

Key Takeaways:

  • CA incidence increased from 696 to 1,023 per 100,000 hospitalizations during the pandemic.
  • Mortality for IHCA increased from 67.4% to 75.4% by the end of 2020.
  • ECMO use declined during the second quarter of 2020 and recovered to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2020.
  • COVID-19 infection was associated with 3.9-fold greater odds of mortality after CA.
  • care during the pandemic was associated with 1.2-fold greater odds of mortality after CA for non-COVID-19 patients.
  • The study involved 1,320,020 non-COVID-19 CA patients and 277,975 patients experiencing CA during the pandemic.
  • The research was conducted by Shayan Ebrahimian, Joseph Hadaya, Nam Yong Cho, Shineui Kim, and Peyman Benharash from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Statistics:

  • 19.1% of non-COVID-19 CA patients were managed during the pandemic.
  • 19.6% of patients experiencing CA during the pandemic had concomitant COVID-19 infection.
  • ECMO use recovered to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2020.
  • CA incidence increased by 45.6% during the pandemic.

Sources:

  • Trends and outcomes of cardiac arrest and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. PLOS One, 2025;20(10).
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