Acute kidney injury (AKI) has been reported to be one of the most common complications in patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), yet variations in AKI between different types of ECMO remain unclear. This meta-analysis systematically compares AKI/severe AKI in adult patients requiring different types of ECMO.

Two authors independently performed a literature search using PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase, encompassing publications up until April 20, 2020 (inclusive). The number of AKI patients, including patients who required/did not require renal replacement therapy (RRT), and deceased patients with AKI/severe AKI, who received different types of ECMO were collated and analyzed using STATA.

The results indicated that there were no significant differences in the risk of AKI/severe AKI among different types of ECMO. However, the presence of AKI and severe AKI during veno-arterial (VA) ECMO was more strongly associated with mortality.

Although mortality rates related to AKI/severe AKI during VV ECMO are high, the occurrence of AKI/severe AKI during VA ECMO should be given greater attention, as these instances are considered strong indicators of patient deterioration and even death. Additional studies are needed to corroborate these findings.