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.

Methods: A psychologist assessed 90 of the 100 children available for follow-up without prior knowledge of treatment allocation. The assessments took place at the children's schools within 3 months of their 7th birthdays.

Results: Sixty-eight of 89 (76%) children recorded a cognitive level within the normal range. Learning problems were similar in the 2 groups, and there were notable difficulties with spatial and processing tasks. A higher respiratory morbidity and increased risk of behavioral problems among children treated conventionally persisted. Progressive sensorineural hearing loss was found in both groups.

Conclusions: The underlying disease processes appear to be the major influence on morbidity at 7 years. The beneficial influence of an ECMO policy is still present at 7 years.