First 24-h SNAP-II score and highest PaCO2 predict the need for ECMO in congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Background/Purpose: Early clinical predictors for the use of ECMO in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are lacking. We sought to evaluate the first 24-h SNAP-II score and highest PaCO2 as predictors of ECMO support and in-hospital mortality in neonates with CDH. Methods: Retrospective review of 47 consecutive neonates with CDH admitted to our institution from January 2007 to December 2010 was performed. Covariates of ECMO use including SNAP-II score and highest PaCO2 within the first 24 h of NICU admission were evaluated. Results: Of the 47 infants in this study, 24 patients were supported with ECMO. The ECMO group had a higher incidence of pulmonary hypertension, higher PaCO2, and higher 24-h SNAP-II scores. Only the SNAP-II score and not highest PaCO2 predicted mortality following multivariate adjustment. Conclusions: The first 24-h SNAP-II score and highest PaCO2 may provide some prognostic value in identifying neonates who undergo ECMO support; however neither measure was independently associated with the use of therapy. Only the SNAP-II score was associated with in-hospital mortality following multivariate adjustment. Additional study is needed to validate these results in a larger data set. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.