COV3: The Impact of Morbid Obesity on Patients with COVID-19 who Develop Respiratory Failure requiring Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Javidfar, Jeffrey; Zaaqoq, Akram M.; Barnett, Adrian; Labib, Ahmed; Arora, Rakesh; Hayanga, J. W. Awori; Eschun, Greg; Yamashita, Michael; Jacobs, Jeffrey; Heinsar, Silver; Suen, Jacky; Fraser, John; Bassi, Gianluigi Li; Peek, Giles ASAIO Journal DOI 10.1097/01.mat.0000841064.86947.91

Background: In patients with COVID-19 and respiratory failure, class 3 obesity (body mass index > 40 kg/m2) has been associated with worse survival. Obese patients on mechanical ventilation with progressively more severe acute respiratory syndrome (ARDS) may be offered venovenous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy. The impact of morbid obesity on the outcome of COVID-19 patients supported with VV ECMO has been underexplored.