In the past years extensive efforts in developing treatment strategies for patients with cardiogenic shock have been performed. One promising such strategy is active unloading of the left ventricle while simultaneously supporting the circulatory system with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Recently, in a multinational, multicenter, retrospective registry, it has been shown that this approach might be associated with lower mortality .~The investigators now seek to extend the evidence on this topic and to test this approach in a prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter trial. A power calculation has been conducted based on the data from the registry. N=198 patients with cardiogenic shock will be randomized 1:1 to be either treated with an Impella for active left ventricular unloading on top of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation alone. A blinded interim analysis will be performed, which might lead to an adjustment of the enrollment target. The primary endpoint of this study will be death from any cause 30 days after randomization.
Prospective, multi-center, randomized (1:1), controlled trial of Impella for active left ventricular unloading on top of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation vs. veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation alone for the treatment of cardiogenic shock.