Researchers investigated whether early use of moderate hypothermia (33-34 °C) could aid in improving mortality among patients with cardiogenic shock receiving venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) when compared with strict normothermia (36-37 °C).

• A total of 334 patients who had been endotracheally intubated and were treated with venoarterial ECMO for less than 6 hours for refractory cardiogenic shock were included in this randomized clinical trial.

• Patients in the moderate hypothermia group had mortality at 30 days of 42% vs 51% observed for patients in the normothermia group.

• As this difference was not statistically significant, moderate hypothermia for 24 hours did not significantly lower 30-day mortality for patients with cardiogenic shock receiving venoarterial ECMO, compared with normothermia.