Objectives: 

To test feasibility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with an endpoint of time at goal anticoagulation in children on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) randomized to receive bivalirudin vs. unfractionated heparin.

Design: 

Open-label pilot RCT (NCT03318393) carried out 2018–2021.

Setting: 

Single-center quaternary U.S. pediatric hospital.

Patients: 

Children 0 days to younger than 18 years old supported with ECMO in the PICU or cardiovascular ICU.

Interventions: 

Randomization to bivalirudin vs. unfractionated heparin while on ECMO.

Measurements and Main Results: 

Sixteen patients were randomized to bivalirudin, and 14 patients were randomized to heparin. There was no difference in the primary outcome, time spent at goal anticoagulation, for patients randomized to bivalirudin compared with those randomized to heparin. While hemorrhagic complications were similar between study groups, thrombotic complications were higher with six of 16 patients in the bivalirudin group having one or more circuit changes compared with 0 of 14 patients in heparin group (mean difference, 37.5% [95% CI, 8.7–61.4%]; p = 0.02). Patients in the bivalirudin group received less packed RBC transfusions vs. those receiving heparin (median [interquartile range], 6.3 mL/kg/d [2.5–8.4 mL/kg/d] vs. 12.2 mL/kg/d [5.5–14.5 mL/kg/d]; p = 0.02).

Conclusions: 

In this single-center pilot RCT carried out 2018–2021, we found that the test of anticoagulation therapy of bivalirudin vs. heparin during ECMO was feasible. Larger multicenter studies are required to further assess the safety and efficacy of bivalirudin for pediatric ECMO.