Pediatric ECMO survivors often experience slight but persistent reductions in their health-related quality of life compared to other critically ill PICU survivors, with the most notable impact seen in physical functioning. Furthermore, they may face long-term cognitive issues, specifically in executive functioning.

These findings emphasize the need for continued, long-term follow-up and targeted support to address these lingering physical and cognitive impairments after discharge.

The researchers assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using the PedsQL 4.0 and evaluated neurodevelopmental, motor, and executive functions using validated tools (ASQ, SDQ, GMFCS, and BRIEF).

The key findings revealed:

Lower Overall HRQoL: ECMO survivors had a statistically significant, albeit small, reduction in overall HRQoL compared to the control group (adjusted difference of $-5.4$, $p=0.040$).

Impaired Physical Functioning: The difference was most pronounced in the physical functioning subdomain, which was significantly lower in the ECMO group (adjusted difference of $-9.6$, $p=0.009$).

Executive Function Deficits: Approximately one-third of the entire cohort reported executive function complaints, which were strongly associated with lower HRQoL scores.

Associated Factors: Other factors like parental stress and parental level of education were also linked to changes in the children’s HRQoL.

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