Cost-effectiveness of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation based on 7-year results from the United Kingdom Collaborative ECMO Trial.

Objective: To assess the long-term cost-effectiveness of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for mature newborn infants with severe respiratory failure.

Methods: A prospective economic evaluation was conducted alongside a pragmatic randomized, controlled trial in which 185 infants were randomly allocated to ECMO (n = 93) or conventional management (n = 92) and then followed up to 7 years of age. Information about their use of health services during the follow-up period was combined with unit costs (pound sterling, 2002-2003 prices) to obtain a net cost per child.

United Kingdom collaborative randomized trial of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: follow-up to age 7 years.

Objective: The UK Collaborative ECMO trial provided an opportunity to describe mortality and morbidity associated with a neonatal ECMO policy compared with conventional management. The improved survival in the ECMO group was not offset by an increase in disability at 4 years, but the children were too young to assess educational and other longer-term impacts. The objective of this study was to assess the longer-term impact of these policies at age 7 years.