Histological changes in the hearts of non-survivors of the UK Collaborative Trial of Neonatal ECMO (extra corporeal membrane oxygen)
Margaret J Evans, J W Keeling
Department of
Paediatric Pathology Royal Hospital for Sick
Children Edinburgh EH9 1LF
Correspondence to: Dr M J Evans.
Accepted 14
February 1999
AIMS
To study the
cardiac pathology of infants enrolled in the UK collaborative trial of
neonatal ECMO (extra corporeal membrane oxygen) who died following
random allocation to a trial arm.
METHODSDuring the
trial, 81 infants died. The hearts of 26 babies were received and
examined without knowledge of treatment regimen. The control group
consisted of 14 infants who received conventional treatment. Twelve
were allocated to ECMO; seven received this treatment.
RESULTSIn the control
group, four showed minor histological changes. The other hearts were
histologically normal. In the group treated with ECMO, four had
multiple foci of micro-infarction throughout both ventricles and
papillary muscles. There was variable thrombotic vascular occlusion.
Three were normal. There was no correlation between cardiac pathology
and clinical features. There was a significant difference in the length
of survival between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONSECMO
treatment seems to be associated with clinically significant cardiac
pathology. The changes observed may reflect the longevity of survival
in the ECMO group rather than an association with the treatment itself.
Nevertheless, the findings have significant implications for those
monitoring the development of infants surviving ECMO treatment and
suggest that the monitoring of myocardial function will be crucial.
Keywords: ECMO; cardiac pathology
© 1999 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
-
McDermott, M
(2004). The continuing decline of autopsies in clinical trials: is there any way back?. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed.
89: F198-F199
[Full Text]
- Full Text
- Full Text (PDF)
- Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
- Citation Map
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in ADC Online
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
- Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
Topic Collections
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
