School-aged follow-up of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) survivors

Prior results on 6 year old ECMO survivors showed that only those with neonatal seizures performed poorly on some measures of intelligence, language, and academic skills. This study included 23, 7-9 year old ECMO graduates. Similar measures of intellectual, language, and academic skills were used in conjunction with memory and sensory-motor measures. Moreover, Language, Visual-Spatial, Verbal Memory, and Visual Memory Standard Score Quotients were created by grouping subtests purported to measure these constructs. Groups were divided by neurological findings (15 abnormal; 8 normal). No significant differences were detected. However, those children with abnormal findings approached significance on the Language, Visual-Spatial, and Visual Memory Quotients, the Stanford-Binet (4th ed.) Composite, the Arithmetic subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test-Rev., and Failure to Maintain Set on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. A case-by-case analysis performed with the GA State Special Education Regulations revealed that 50% with normal and 53% with abnormal findings fit the criteria for a Learning Disability (LD). Thus, despite infant neurological status, school-aged ECMO survivors are at a 3 fold risk of having a LD compared to normals (14%). Further studies are needed to determine whether hypoxia and/or ECMO (specifically) contributes to this risk.