Acute cardiac care & resuscitation
The cost-effectiveness of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for refractory cardiac arrest: A systematic review
Authors' conclusion
ECPR may be cost-effective in some settings, but there is marked variability in the reported cost-effectiveness of ECPR across current studies.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with refractory cardiac arrest
- Participants
- 15 studies
- Comparison
- ECPR vs standard care
- Outcome
- Cost-effectiveness of ECPR
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Cost-effectiveness of ECPR across studies
- High probability of ECPR being cost-effective
- 12 (80 %)
- Low probability
- 1 (7 %)
- Potentially cost-effective
- 1 (7 %)
- No probability of cost-effectiveness (acute aortic dissection study)
- 1 (7 %)
- Adjusted incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) ranged
- $2,564 to $276,307
- Cost-effective at US willingness to pay threshold ($150,000)
- 10 studies
- Cost-effective at alternative thresholds ($40,000)
- 7 studies
Original publication
The cost-effectiveness of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for refractory cardiac arrest: A systematic review. Resuscitation. Published 16 September 2025. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it