Use of blood products during ECMO in patients with severe COVID-19 and ischemic heart disease

Abstract

Severe coronavirus infection (COVID-19) requires treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). COVID-19 patients have high transfusion requirements, but there are few reports on how to manage and administer them. From 2019 to 2021, 37 patients with COVID-19 and ischemic heart disease (IHD) were enrolled. We obtained information about the patients’ background features, blood product requirements, duration of ECMO, laboratory data, and outcomes. During ECMO, transfusion was administered in both groups at the time of laboratory data reduction and ECMO weaning. IHD patients were administered each blood product in the early phase of ECMO. In contrast, COVID-19 patients were administered blood products every day during ECMO and used significantly more FFP than IHD patients. Laboratory data are generally used as a guideline for transfusion therapy, but transfusions are also administered during weaning from ECMO, it is necessary to pay attention to the status of the treatment. We need to monitor laboratory data and treatment status to manage blood products and to quickly respond to transfusion requests.