Disparities identified among patients receiving advanced pulmonary support
News ReleaseThursday, April 6, 2023
NIH-funded study finds some adults are more likely to receive ECMO when compared to those who received mechanical ventilation only.
Some adults with severe respiratory illness, including women, those with public insurance, and people with fewer financial resources, may be less likely to receive an advanced form of life support known as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A research team supported by the National Institutes of Health found that adults who received ECMO appeared to skew toward men, people with private health insurance, and those who came from areas with higher median incomes. ECMO helps patients with life-threatening illness or injury breathe by simulating the function of the heart and/or lungs, while giving thos...