Low Postnatal CRI Values Are Associated with the Need for ECMO in Newborns with CDH

Prospective study of 26 CDH newborns demonstrates that Compensatory Reserve Index monitoring can predict ECMO need, with significantly lower CRI values in infants requiring ECMO versus those who stabilized without support. CRI outperformed existing prenatal prognostic measures and may guide clinical decision-making for ECMO initiation.