Sex Disparity in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Clinical Trial Enrollment
Authors' conclusion
Substantial sex-based disparity exists in published ECMO clinical trials.
Study context
- Population
- RCTs published 2003–2023 testing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as treatment or another intervention among patients receiving ECMOtrials with sex data
- Participants
- 28 participants
- Outcome
- Proportion of male and female participants in each published trial
Methodological detailsCochrane Highly Sensitive Search Strategy in PubMed; 774 articles identified, 31 eligible
- Cochrane Highly Sensitive Search Strategy in PubMed; 774 articles identified, 31 eligible
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Sex of trial participants
Trials enrolling more men than women (26/28)
93%
Women among all trial participants
28%
551/1956; 95% CI 26–30%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Men among participants by trial type
- Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) trials
- 83%
- Venoarterial ECMO for cardiogenic shock trials
- 73%
Men among participants in journals with impact factor ≥10
- Men
- 74% (95% CI 72-76%)
Trials reporting race or ethnicity
- Two trials
- 7%
Original publication
Sex Disparity in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Clinical Trial Enrollment. Crit Care Med. Published 2 December 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →