Palliative care during extracorporeal life support remains poorly studied
A review found very low-certainty evidence on patient and family outcomes, with no statistically significant hospital mortality differences in studies that formally compared survival.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The available studies do not establish how specialty palliative care affects patient or family outcomes during extracorporeal life support. Comparisons found no statistically significant hospital mortality differences, but the evidence was rated very uncertain. Because these were observational studies, differences in care or treatment duration cannot be attributed to palliative care itself.
Evidence certainty was very low for every outcome, and few studies assessed outcomes centered on patients and families. Observational comparisons cannot establish causation or confirm that survival is equivalent between groups.
What researchers found
Hospital mortality
Studies formally comparing survival found no significant difference with versus without palliative care consultation during hospitalization; precise follow-up periods were unspecified.
What patient-centered evidence showed
A study assessing average pain found no difference, while another reported more notes documenting goals of care. More documentation is a care-process finding; it does not by itself establish better experiences for patients or families.
Longer support needs careful interpretation
Several studies reported longer extracorporeal support among patients who received palliative care consultations. The review does not establish why this association occurred, so it should not be interpreted as a treatment effect.
The original publication
Outcomes of Palliative Care in Extracorporeal Life Support: A Systematic Review.
Kiker WA, Condella AL, Grouls A et al.
J Pain Symptom Manage · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40876666
- Record checked
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