Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the health-related quality of life of adult survivors of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and identify the factors influencing their long-term outcomes. The findings are intended to provide a reference for optimizing post-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation care. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 106 adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation survivors. Data were collected using the General Information Questionnaire, the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, the Barthel Index, the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Scale, and the Nottingham Health Profile Part II. Statistical analyses included the two-sample rank sum test, multi-sample Kruskal-Wallis test, Spearman correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression to assess relationships between health-related quality of life and various factors. RESULTS: Long-term health-related quality of life scores for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation survivors were 63.72 ± 20.87 for Physical Component Summary(PCS) and 72.69 ± 23.67 for Mental Component Summary (MCS). PCS was positively correlated with the Barthel Index score (r = 0.560, P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Scale (r = -0.58, P < 0.01) and Nottingham Health Profile Part II scores (r = -0.757, P < 0.01). MCS showed similar trends, with a positive correlation with the Barthel Index score (r = 0.589, P < 0.01) and negative correlations with the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Scale (r = -0.741, P < 0.01) and Nottingham Health Profile Part II (r = -0.647, P < 0.01). Independent factors affecting health-related quality of life included physical health, caregiver type, employment status, Barthel Index score, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Scale, and Nottingham Health Profile Part II score, accounting for 82.6% of variability in PCS. MCS was influenced by employment status, place of residence, and the same clinical scales, explaining 73.9% of the variation. CONCLUSIONS: Adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation survivors have poor health-related quality of life, particularly in social functioning. Key factors affecting their quality of life include caregiver type, employment status, physical and psychological health scores, and place of residence. Establishing specialized extracorporeal membrane oxygenation clinics is crucial for providing comprehensive care and improving long-term outcomes for survivors.