Post–Cardiac Arrest Mortality Is Declining

Galectin-3 Predicts Long-Term Risk of Cerebral Disability and Mortality in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survivors

BACKGROUND

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is associated with high mortality and cerebral disability in survivors. Current models of risk prediction and survival are mainly based on resuscitation duration. We examined the prognostic value of circulating biomarkers in predicting mortality and severe cerebral disability for OHCA survivors, alongside traditional clinical risk indicators.

METHODS

Biomarkers including BNP, troponin I, and galectin-3 were measured at hospital admission in resuscitated OHCA patients. Prognostic significance for mortality and cerebral disability involving circulating biomarkers, resuscitation duration, demographics, and laboratory and clinical characteristics was examined via univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. The incremental prognostic value of the index covariates was examined through model diagnostics, focusing on the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and Harrell's concordance statistic (c-statistic).

RESULTS

In a combinatorial analysis of 144 OHCA survivors (median follow-up 5.7 years (IQR 2.9-6.6)), BNP, galectin-3, arterial pH, and resuscitation time were significant predictors of all-cause death and severe cerebral disability, whereas troponin I levels were not. Multivariate regression, adjusting for BNP, arterial pH, and resuscitation time, identified galectin-3 as an independent predictor of long-term mortality. Multiple linear regression models also confirmed galectin-3 as the strongest predictor of cerebral disability. The incorporation of galectin-3 into models for predicting mortality and cerebral disability enhanced fit and discrimination, demonstrating the incremental value of galectin-3 beyond traditional risk predictors.

CONCLUSIONS

Galectin-3 is a significant, independent long-term risk predictor of cerebral disability and mortality in OHCA survivors. Incorporating galectin-3 into current risk stratification models may enhance early prognostication and guide targeted clinical interventions.

Cardiac arrest and post-discharge mortality in patients with myocardial infarction: A large-scale nationwide registry analysis

Background

Cardiac arrest is a serious complication of acute myocardial infarction. The implementation of contemporary approaches to acute myocardial infarction management, including urgent revascularization procedures, has led to significant improvements in short-term outcomes. However, the extent of post-discharge mortality in patients experiencing cardiac arrest during acute myocardial infarction remains uncertain. This study aimed to determine the post-discharge outcomes of patients with cardiac arrest.

Methods

We analysed data from the J-PCI OUTCOME registry, a Japanese prospectively planed, observational, multicentre, national registry of percutaneous coronary intervention involving consecutive patients from 172 institutions who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and were discharged. Patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction between January 2017 and December 2018 and survived for 30 days were included. Mortality in patients with and without cardiac arrest from 30 days to 1 year after percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction was compared.

Results

Of the 26,909 patients who survived for 30 days after percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction, 1,567 (5.8%) had cardiac arrest at the onset of acute myocardial infarction. Patients with cardiac arrest were younger and more likely to be males than patients without cardiac arrest. The 1-year all-cause mortality was significantly higher in patients with cardiac arrest than in those without (11.9% vs. 2.8%, p < 0.001) for all age groups. Multivariable analysis showed that cardiac arrest was an independent predictor of all-cause long-term mortality (hazard ratio: 2.94; 95% confidence interval: 2.29-3.76).

Conclusions

Patients with acute myocardial infarction and concomitant cardiac arrest have a worse prognosis for up to 1 year after percutaneous coronary intervention than patients without cardiac arrest.

Impact of stress hyperglycemia ratio on mortality in patients with cardiac arrest: insight from American MIMIC-IV database

Background

Stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) has shown a predominant correlation with transient adverse events in critically ill patients. However, there remains a gap in comprehensive research regarding the association between SHR and mortality among patients experiencing cardiac arrest and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

A total of 535 patients with their initial ICU admission suffered cardiac arrest, according to the American Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database. Patients were stratified into four categories based on quantiles of SHR. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to evaluate the association SHR and mortality. The association between SHR and mortality was assessed using multivariable Cox regression models. Subgroup analyses were conducted to determine whether SHR influenced ICU, 1-year, and long-term all-cause mortality in subgroups stratified according to diabetes status.

Results

Patients with higher SHR, when compared to the reference quartile 1 group, exhibited a greater risk of ICU mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 3.029; 95% CI: 1.802-5.090), 1-year mortality (aHR = 3.057; 95% CI: 1.885-4.958), and long-term mortality (aHR = 3.183; 95% CI: 2.020-5.015). This association was particularly noteworthy among patients without diabetes, as indicated by subgroup analysis.

Conclusion

Elevated SHR was notably associated with heightened risks of ICU, 1-year, and long-term all-cause mortality among cardiac arrest patients. These findings underscore the importance of considering SHR as a potential prognostic factor in the critical care management of cardiac arrest patients, warranting further investigation and clinical attention.

EEG Pattern With Spectral Analysis Can Prognosticate Good and Poor Neurologic Outcomes After Cardiac Arrest

PURPOSE

To investigate the prognostic value of a simple stratification system of electroencephalographical (EEG) patterns and spectral types for patients after cardiac arrest.

METHODS

In this prospectively enrolled cohort, using manually selected EEG segments, patients after cardiac arrest were stratified into five independent EEG patterns (based on background continuity and burden of highly epileptiform discharges) and four independent power spectral types (based on the presence of frequency components). The primary outcome is cerebral performance category (CPC) at discharge. Results from multimodal prognostication testing were included for comparison.

RESULTS

Of a total of 72 patients, 6 had CPC 1-2 by discharge, all of whom had mostly continuous EEG background without highly epileptiform activity at day 3. However, for the same EEG background pattern at day 3, 19 patients were discharged at CPC 3 and 15 patients at CPC 4-5. After adding spectral analysis, overall sensitivity for predicting good outcomes (CPC 1-2) was 83.3% (95% confidence interval 35.9% to 99.6%) and specificity was 97.0% (89.5% to 99.6%). In this cohort, standard prognostication testing all yielded 100% specificity but low sensitivity, with imaging being the most sensitive at 54.1% (36.9% to 70.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Adding spectral analysis to qualitative EEG analysis may further improve the diagnostic accuracy of EEG and may aid developing novel measures linked to good outcomes in postcardiac arrest coma.

Recovery and Survival of Patients After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Literature Review Showcasing the Big Picture of Intensive Care Unit-Related Factors

As an important public health issue, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) requires several stages of high quality medical care, both on-field and after hospital admission. Post-cardiac arrest shock can lead to severe neurological injury, resulting in poor recovery outcome and increased risk of death. These characteristics make this condition one of the most important issues to deal with in post-OHCA patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs). Also, the majority of initial post-resuscitation survivors have underlying coronary diseases making revascularization procedure another crucial step in early management of these patients. Besides keeping myocardial blood flow at a satisfactory level, other tissues must not be neglected as well, and maintaining mean arterial pressure within optimal range is also preferable. All these procedures can be simplified to a certain level along with using targeted temperature management methods in order to decrease metabolic demands in ICU-hospitalized post-OHCA patients. Additionally, withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy as a controversial ethical topic is under constant re-evaluation due to its possible influence on overall mortality rates in patients initially surviving OHCA. Focusing on all of these important points in process of managing ICU patients is an imperative towards better survival and complete recovery rates.

The Electrographic Effects of Ketamine on Patients With Refractory Status Epilepticus After Cardiac Arrest: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort

PURPOSE

To investigate the effects of ketamine on patients with refractory status epilepticus after cardiac arrest.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort, selected EEG segments from patients after cardiac arrest were classified into different EEG patterns (based on background continuity and burden of epileptiform discharges) and spectral profiles (based on the presence of frequency components). For patients who received ketamine, EEG data were compared before, during, and after ketamine infusion; for the no-ketamine group, EEG data were compared at three separated time points during recording. Ketamine usage was determined by clinical providers. Electrographic improvement in epileptiform activity was scored, and the odds ratio was calculated using the Fisher exact test. Functional outcome measures at time of discharge were also examined.

RESULTS

Of a total of 38 patients with postcardiac arrest refractory status epilepticus, 13 received ketamine and 25 did not. All patients were on ≥2 antiseizure medications including at least one sedative infusion (midazolam). For the ketamine group, eight patients had electrographic improvement, compared with only two patients in the no-ketamine group, with an odds ratio of 7.19 (95% confidence interval 1.16-44.65, P value of 0.0341) for ketamine versus no ketamine. Most of the patients who received ketamine had myoclonic status epilepticus, and overall neurologic outcomes were poor with no patients having a favorable outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

For postarrest refractory status epilepticus, ketamine use was associated with electrographic improvement, but with the available data, it is unclear whether ketamine use or EEG improvement can be linked to better functional recovery.

Mortality and healthcare resource utilisation after cardiac arrest in the United States - A 10-year nationwide analysis prior to the COVID-19 pandemic

AIM

Understanding the public health burden of cardiac arrest (CA) is important to inform healthcare policies, particularly during healthcare crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to analyse outcomes of in-hospital mortality and healthcare resource utilisation in adult patients with CA in the United States over the last decade prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

The United States (US) National Inpatient Sample was utilised to identify hospitalised adult patients with CA between 2010 and 2019. Logistic and Poisson regression models were used to analyse outcomes by adjusting for 47 confounders.

RESULTS

248,754 adult patients with CA (without "Do Not Resuscitate"-orders) were included in this study, out of which 57.5% were male. In-hospital mortality was high with 51.2% but improved significantly from 58.3% in 2010 to 46.4% in 2019 (P < 0.001). Particularly, elderly patients, non-white patients and patients requiring complex therapy had a higher mortality rate. Although the average hospital LOS decreased by 11%, hospital expenses have increased by 13% between 2010 and 2019 (each P < 0.001), presumably due to more frequent use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS, e.g. ECMO from 2.6% to 8.7% or Impella® micro-axial flow pump from 1.8% to 14.2%). Strong disparities existed among patient age groups and ethnicities across the US. Of note, the number of young adults with CA and opioid-induced CA has almost doubled within the study period.

CONCLUSION

Over the last ten years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, CA-related survival has incrementally improved with shorter hospitalisations and increased medical expenses, while strong disparities existed among different age groups and ethnicities. National standards for CA surveillance should be considered to identify trends and differences in CA treatment to allow for standardised medical care.

Current animal models of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A scoping review

Aim

Animal models of Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR) focusing on neurological outcomes are required to further the development of this potentially life-saving technology. The aim of this review is to summarize current animal models of ECPR.

Methods

A comprehensive database search of PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science was undertaken. Full-text publications describing animal models of ECPR between January 1, 2000, and June 30, 2022, were identified and included in the review. Data describing the conduct of the animal models of ECPR, measured variables, and outcomes were extracted according to pre-defined definitions.

Results

The search strategy yielded 805 unique reports of which 37 studies were included in the final analysis. Most studies (95%) described using a pig model of ECPR with the remainder (5%) describing a rat model. The most common method for induction of cardiac arrest was a fatal ventricular arrhythmia through electrical stimulation (70%). 10 studies reported neurological assessment of animals using physical examination, serum biomarkers, or electrophysiological findings, however, only two studies described a multimodal assessment. No studies reported the use of brain imaging as part of the neurological assessment. Return of spontaneous circulation was the most reported primary outcome, and no studies described the neurological status of the animal as the primary outcome.

Conclusion

Current animal models of ECPR do not describe clinically relevant neurological outcomes after cardiac arrest. Further work is needed to develop models that more accurately mimic clinical scenarios and can test innovations that can be translated to the application of ECPR in clinical medicine.

Triglyceride-glucose index is associated with the occurrence and prognosis of cardiac arrest: a multicenter retrospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is an efficient indicator of insulin resistance and is proven to be a valuable marker in several cardiovascular diseases. However, the relationship between TyG index and cardiac arrest (CA) remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the association of the TyG index with the occurrence and clinical outcomes of CA.

METHODS

In this retrospective, multicenter, observational study, critically ill patients, including patients post-CA, were identified from the eICU Collaborative Research Database and evaluated. The TyG index for each patient was calculated using values of triglycerides and glucose recorded within 24 h of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. In-hospital mortality and ICU mortality were the primary clinical outcomes. Logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and correlation analyses were performed to explore the relationship between the TyG index and clinical outcomes. Propensity score matching (PSM), overlap weighting (OW), and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were adopted to balance the baseline characteristics of patients and minimize selection bias to confirm the robustness of the results. Subgroup analysis based on different modifiers was also performed.

RESULTS

Overall, 24,689 critically ill patients, including 1021 patients post-CA, were enrolled. The TyG index was significantly higher in patients post-CA than in those without CA (9.20 (8.72-9.69) vs. 8.89 (8.45-9.41)), and the TyG index had a moderate discrimination ability to identify patients with CA from the overall population (area under the curve = 0.625). Multivariate logistic regression indicated that the TyG index was an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.03-1.58) and ICU mortality (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.02-1.58) in patients post-CA. RCS curves revealed that an increased TyG index was linearly related to higher risks of in-hospital and ICU mortality (P for nonlinear: 0.225 and 0.271, respectively). Even after adjusting by PSM, IPTW, and OW, the TyG index remained a risk factor for in-hospital mortality and ICU mortality in patients experiencing CA, which was independent of age, BMI, sex, etc. Correlation analyses revealed that TyG index was negatively correlated with the neurological status of patients post-CA.

CONCLUSION

Elevated TyG index is significantly associated with the occurrence of CA and higher mortality risk in patients post-CA. Our findings extend the landscape of TyG index in cardiovascular diseases, which requires further prospective cohort study.

Factors Associated with Early Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatments After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Subanalysis of a Randomized Trial of Prehospital Therapeutic Hypothermia

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study is to describe incidence and factors associated with early withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies based on presumed poor neurologic prognosis (WLST-N) and practices around multimodal prognostication after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

METHODS

We performed a subanalysis of a randomized controlled trial assessing prehospital therapeutic hypothermia in adult patients admitted to nine hospitals in King County with nontraumatic OHCA between 2007 and 2012. Patients who underwent tracheal intubation and were unconscious following return of spontaneous circulation were included. Our outcomes were (1) incidence of early WLST-N (WLST-N within < 72 h from return of spontaneous circulation), (2) factors associated with early WLST-N compared with patients who remained comatose at 72 h without WLST-N, (3) institutional variation in early WLST-N, (4) use of multimodal prognostication, and (5) use of sedative medications in patients with early WLST-N. Analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

We included 1,040 patients (mean age was 65 years, 37% were female, 41% were White, and 44% presented with arrest due to ventricular fibrillation) admitted to nine hospitals. Early WLST-N accounted for 24% (n = 154) of patient deaths and occurred in half (51%) of patients with WLST-N. Factors associated with early WLST-N in multivariate regressions were older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.03), preexisting do-not-attempt-resuscitation orders (OR 4.67, 95% CI: 1.55-14.01), bilateral absent pupillary reflexes (OR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.42-4.10), and lack of neurological consultation (OR 2.60, 95% CI: 1.52-4.46). The proportion of patients with early WLST-N among all OHCA admissions ranged from 19-60% between institutions. A head computed tomography scan was obtained in 54% (n = 84) of patients with early WLST-N; 22% (n = 34) and 5% (n = 8) underwent ≥ 1 and ≥ 2 additional prognostic tests, respectively. Prognostic tests were more frequently performed when neurological consultation occurred. Most patients received sedating medications (90%) within 24 h before early WLST-N; the median time from last sedation to early WLST-N was 4.2 h (interquartile range 0.4-15).

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly one quarter of deaths after OHCA were due to early WLST-N. The presence of concerning neurological examination findings appeared to impact early WLST-N decisions, even though these are not fully reliable in this time frame. Lack of neurological consultation was associated with early WLST-N and resulted in underuse of guideline-concordant multimodal prognostication. Sedating medications were often coadministered prior to early WLST-N and may have further confounded the neurological examination. Standardizing prognostication, restricting early WLST-N, and a multidisciplinary approach including neurological consultation might improve outcomes after OHCA.

Effectiveness on level of consciousness of non-invasive neuromodulation therapy in patients with disorders of consciousness: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Disorders of consciousness (DoC) commonly occurs secondary to severe neurological injury. A considerable volume of research has explored the effectiveness of different non-invasive neuromodulation therapy (NINT) on awaking therapy, however, equivocal findings were reported.

Objective

The aim of this study was to systematically investigate the effectiveness on level of consciousness of different NINT in patients with DoC and explore optimal stimulation parameters and characteristics of patients.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane central register of controlled trials were searched from their inception through November 2022. Randomized controlled trials, that investigated effectiveness on level of consciousness of NINT, were included. Mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was evaluated as effect size. Risk of bias was assessed with revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool.

Results

A total of 15 randomized controlled trials with 345 patients were included. Meta-analysis was performed on 13 out of 15 reviewed trials indicating that transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and median nerve stimulation (MNS) all had a small but significant effect (MD 0.71 [95% CI 0.28, 1.13]; MD 1.51 [95% CI 0.87, 2.15]; MD 3.20 [95%CI: 1.45, 4.96]) on level of consciousness. Subgroup analyses revealed that patients with traumatic brain injury, higher initial level of consciousness (minimally conscious state), and shorter duration of prolonged DoC (subacute phase of DoC) reserved better awaking ability after tDCS. TMS also showed encouraging awaking effect when stimulation was applied on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in patients with prolonged DoC.

Conclusion

tDCS and TMS appear to be effective interventions for improving level of consciousness of patients with prolonged DoC. Subgroup analyses identified the key parameters required to enhance the effects of tDCS and TMS on level of consciousness. Etiology of DoC, initial level of consciousness, and phase of DoC could act as significant characteristics of patients related to the effectiveness of tDCS. Stimulation site could act as significant stimulation parameter related to the effectiveness of TMS. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of MNS in clinical practice to improve level of consciousness in patients with coma.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=337780, identifier: CRD42022337780.

Frailty Assessment and Perioperative Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events After Noncardiac Surgery

OBJECTIVE

Frailty is an emerging risk factor for adverse outcomes. However, perioperative frailty assessments derived from electronic health records have not been studied on a large scale. We aim to estimate the prevalence of frailty and the associated incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among adults hospitalized for noncardiac surgery.

METHODS

Adults aged ≥45 years hospitalized for noncardiac surgery from 2004-2014 were identified from the National Inpatient Sample. The validated Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) derived from International Classification of Diseases codes was used to classify patients as low (HFRS <5), medium (5-10), or high (>10) frailty risk. The primary outcome was MACE, defined as myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, and in-hospital mortality. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted odds of MACE stratified by age and HFRS.

RESULTS

A total of 55,349,978 hospitalizations were identified, of which 81.0%, 14.4%, and 4.6% had low, medium, and high HFRS, respectively. Patients with higher HFRS had more cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities. MACE occurred during 2.5% of surgical hospitalizations and was common among patients with high frailty scores (high HFRS: 9.1%, medium: 6.9%, low: 1.3%, P < .001). Medium (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.02-2.08) and high (aOR 2.75; 95% CI, 2.70-2.79) HFRS were associated with greater odds of MACE vs low HFRS, with the greatest odds of MACE observed in younger individuals 45-64 years (interaction P value < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The HFRS may identify frail surgical inpatients at risk for adverse perioperative cardiovascular outcomes.

Nationwide Analysis of Cardiac Arrest Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on the chain of survival following cardiac arrest. However, large population-based reports of COVID-19 in patients hospitalized after cardiac arrest are limited.

Methods

The National Inpatient Sample database was queried for cardiac arrest admissions during 2020 in the United States (US). Propensity score matching was used to match patients with and without concurrent COVID-19 according to age, race, sex, and comorbidities. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of mortality.

Results

A weighted total of 267,845 hospitalizations for cardiac arrest were identified, among which 44,105 patients (16.5%) had a concomitant diagnosis of COVID-19. After propensity matching, cardiac arrest patients with concomitant COVID-19 had higher rate of acute kidney injury requiring dialysis (64.9% vs. 54.8%) mechanical ventilation > 24 hours (53.6% vs. 44.6%) and sepsis (59.4% vs. 40.4%) compared to cardiac arrest patients without COVID-19. In contrast, cardiac arrest patients with COVID-19 had lower rates of cardiogenic shock (3.2% vs. 5.4%, p < 0.001), ventricular tachycardia (9.6% vs. 11.7%, p < 0.001), and ventricular fibrillation (6.7% vs. 10.8%, p < 0.001), and a lower utilization of cardiac procedures. In-hospital mortality was higher in patients with COVID-19 (86.9% vs. 65.5%, p <0.001) and, on multivariate analysis, a diagnosis of COVID-19 was an independent predictor of mortality.

Conclusion

Among patients hospitalized following a cardiac arrest during 2020, concomitant COVID-19 infection was associated with significantly worse outcomes characterized by an increased risk of sepsis, pulmonary and renal dysfunction, and death.

Characteristics, therapies, and outcomes of In-Hospital vs Out-of-Hospital cardiac arrest in patients presenting to cardiac intensive care units: From the critical care Cardiology trials network (CCCTN)

BACKGROUND

Cardiac arrest (CA) is a common reason for admission to the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU), though the relative burden of morbidity, mortality, and resource use between admissions with in-hospital (IH) and out-of-hospital (OH) CA is unknown. We compared characteristics, care patterns, and outcomes of admissions to contemporary CICUs after IHCA or OHCA.

METHODS

The Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network is a multicenter network of tertiary CICUs in the US and Canada. Participating centers contributed data from consecutive admissions during 2-month annual snapshots from 2017 to 2021. We analyzed characteristics and outcomes of admissions by IHCA vs OHCA.

RESULTS

We analyzed 2,075 admissions across 29 centers (50.3% IHCA, 49.7% OHCA). Admissions with IHCA were older (median 66 vs 62 years), more commonly had coronary disease (38.3% vs 29.7%), atrial fibrillation (26.7% vs 15.6%), and heart failure (36.3% vs 22.1%), and were less commonly comatose on CICU arrival (34.2% vs 71.7%), p < 0.001 for all. IHCA admissions had lower lactate (median 4.3 vs 5.9) but greater utilization of invasive hemodynamics (34.3% vs 23.6%), mechanical circulatory support (28.4% vs 16.8%), and renal replacement therapy (15.5% vs 9.4%); p < 0.001 for all. Comatose IHCA patients underwent targeted temperature management less frequently than OHCA patients (63.3% vs 84.9%, p < 0.001). IHCA admissions had lower unadjusted CICU (30.8% vs 39.0%, p < 0.001) and in-hospital mortality (36.1% vs 44.1%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Despite a greater burden of comorbidities, CICU admissions after IHCA have lower lactate, greater invasive therapy utilization, and lower crude mortality than admissions after OHCA.

Incorporating economic analysis in interventional cardiology research

Evaluative research in interventional cardiology has focused on clinical and technical outcomes. Inclusion of economic data can enhance evaluative research by quantifying the relative economic burden incurred by different therapies. When combined with clinical outcomes, cost data can provide a measure of value (e.g., marginal cost-effectiveness). In some select situations, cost data can also be used as surrogates for complexity of care and morbidity. In this narrative review, we aim to provide a framework for the application of cost data in clinical trials and observational research, detailing how to incorporate this kind of data into interventional cardiology research.

Relationship between serum lactate dehydrogenase and mortality after cardiac arrest: A retrospective cohort study

Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) has been identified as an independent risk factor for predicting all-cause mortality in patients with multiple diseases. However, the prognostic value of LDH levels in post-cardiac arrest patients remains uncertain. This study aimed to assess the association between LDH and mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients after cardiac arrest. This retrospective observational study is based on data from the Dryad Digital Repository, which included 374 consecutive adult patients after cardiac arrest. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on median LDH values. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was established to assess the independent relationship between LDH and ICU mortality. Cumulative mortality was compared using Kaplan-Meier curves. The cohort included 374 patients, of which 51.9% (194/374) died in the ICU. The overall death rate from cardiac arrest was significantly higher for patients with LDH ≥ 335 IU/L (59.6%) than for those with LDH < 335 IU/L (44.1%). In multiple Cox regression models, hazard ratios (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for logLDH and the 2 LDH groups were 1.72 (1.07, 2.78) and 1.42 (1.04, 1.93), respectively. Participants with LDH ≥ 335IU/L had a higher incidence of ICU mortality than LDH < 335 IU/L, as shown by the Kaplan-Meier curves (P = .0085). Subgroup analysis revealed that the association between LDH and ICU mortality was vitally stable, with all P interactions from different subgroups >.05. Serum LDH levels are positively associated with ICU mortality in patients after cardiac arrest, especially for patients with LDH ≥ 335 IU/L.

The association between CPR quality of In-hospital resuscitation and sex: A hypothesis generating, prospective observational study

Introduction

The relationship between sex and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) outcomes remains unclear. Particularly, questions remain regarding the potential contribution of unmeasured confounders. We aimed to examine the differences in the quality of chest compression delivered to men and women.

Methods

Prospective study of observational data recorded during consecutive resuscitations occurring in a single tertiary center (Feb-1-2015 to Dec-31-2018) with real-time follow-up to hospital discharge. The studied variables included time in CPR, no-flow-time and fraction, compression rate and depth and release velocity. The primary study endpoint was the unadjusted association between patient sex and the chest compression quality (depth and rate). The secondary endpoint was the association between the various components of chest compression quality, sex, and survival to hospital discharge/neurologically intact survival.

Results

Overall 260 in-hospital resuscitations (57.7% male patients) were included. Among these 100 (38.5%) achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and 35 (13.5%) survived to hospital discharge. Female patients were significantly older. Ischemic heart disease and ventricular arrhythmias were more prevalent among males. Compression depth was greater in female vs male patients (54.9 ± 11.3 vs 51.7 ± 10.9 mm; p = 0.024). Other CPR quality-metrics were similar. The rates of ROSC, survival to hospital discharge and neurologically intact survival did not differ between males and females. Univariate analysis revealed no association between sex, quality metrics and outcomes.

Discussion

Women received deeper chest compressions during in-hospital CPR. Our findings require corroboration in larger cohorts but nonetheless underscore the need to maintain high-quality CPR in all patients using real-time feedback devices. Future studies should also include data on ventilation rates and volumes which may contribute to survival outcomes.

Brain Death and Its Prediction in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Patients Treated with Targeted Temperature Management

Evolution toward brain death (BD) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients with targeted temperature management (TTM) provides opportunities for organ donation. However, knowledge regarding BD in these patients is limited. We retrospectively analyzed the TTM registry of one hospital where life-sustaining therapy was not withdrawn. In-hospital death patients were categorized into BD and non-BD groups. We explored the process of evolution toward BD and its predictors by comparing the serial measurements of clinical variables and the results of various prognostic tests between the two groups. Of the 121 patients who died before hospital discharge, 19 patients (15.7%) developed BD at a median of 6 (interquartile range, 5.0–7.0) days after cardiac arrest. Four patients with pupillary light reflexes at 48 h eventually developed BD. The area under the curves of the gray-to-white matter ratio (GWR) on early brain computed tomography images and the level of S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B) at 72 h were 0.67 (95% CI, 0.55–0.77) and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.55–0.83), respectively. In conclusion, approximately one-sixth of all in-hospital deaths were diagnosed with BD at a median of 6 days after cardiac arrest. The use of GWR and serial S100B measurements may help to screen potential BD.

The association between anion gap and in-hospital mortality of post-cardiac arrest patients: a retrospective study

We aimed to determine the association between anion gap and in-hospital mortality in post-cardiac arrest (CA) patients. Extracted the data of patients diagnosed with CA from MIMIC-IV database. Generalized additive model (GAM), Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis were used to demonstrate the association between AG levels and in-hospital mortality. ROC curve analysis for assessing the discrimination of AG for predicting in-hospital mortality. Totally, 1724 eligible subjects were included in our study finally. 936 patients (551 males and 385 females) died in hospital, with the prevalence of in-hospital mortality was 54.3%. The result of the Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the higher value of AG had significant lower survival possibility during the hospitalization compared with the lower-value of AG patients. In the crude Cox regression model, high-level of AG subjects was associated with significant higher HR compared with low-level of AG subjects. After adjusted the vital signs data, laboratory data, and treatment, high-level of AG (group Q3 and group Q4) were also associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality compared with low-level of AG group, 1.52 (95% Cl 1.17–1.85; P < 0.001), 1.64 (95% Cl 1.21–2.08; P < 0.001), respectively. The ROC curve indicated that AG has acceptable discrimination for predicting in-hospital mortality. The AUC value was found to be 0.671 (95% CI 0.646–0.698). Higher AG levels was associated with poor prognosis in post-CA patients. AG is a predictor for predicting in-hospital mortality of CA, and could help refine risk stratification.

Elevated jugular venous oxygen saturation after cardiac arrest

BACKGROUND

We performed a retrospective analysis of our earlier study on cerebral oxygenation monitoring by jugular venous oximetry (SjvO₂) in patients of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The study was focused on high SjvO₂ values (≥75%) and their association with neurological outcomes and serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) concentration.

METHOD

Forty OHCA patients were divided into (i) high (Group I), (ii) normal (Group II), and (iii) low (Group III) SjvO₂, with the mean SjvO₂ ≥ 75%, 55-74% and <55% respectively. The neurological outcome was evaluated using the Cerebral Performance Category scale (CPC) on the 90th day after cardiac arrest (post-CA). NSE concentration was determined after ICU admission and then at 24, 48, and 72 hours (h) post-CA.

RESULTS

High mean SjvO₂ occurred in 67% of patients, while no patients had low mean SjvO₂. The unfavourable outcome was significantly more common in Group I than Group II (74% versus 23%, p < 0.01). Group I patients had significantly higher median NSE than Group II at 48 and 72 h post-CA. A positive correlation was found between SjvO₂ and PaCO₂. Each 1 kPa increase in CO₂ led to an increase of SjvO₂ by 2.2 %+/-0.66 (p < 0.01) in group I and by 5.7%+/-1.36 (p < 0.0001) in group II. There was no correlation between SjvO₂ and MAP or SjvO₂ and PaO₂.

CONCLUSION

High mean SjvO₂ are often associated with unfavourable outcomes and high NSE at 48 and 72 hours post-CA. Not only low but also high SjvO₂ values may require therapeutic intervention.

Clinical value of miR-191-5p in predicting the neurological outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

BACKGROUND

The diagnostic and prognostic value of microRNAs (miRNA) in human disease has been confirmed in a number of clinical studies.

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive value of miR-191-5p in the neurological outcome of patients recovering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

METHODS

A total of 260 patients undergoing the target temperature management trial were analyzed. The expression level of serum miR-191-5p was detected by qRT-PCR at 48 h after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). ROC curve was established to evaluate the ability of miR-191-5p as a biomarker for predicting adverse neurological outcomes after OHCA. Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox regression analysis were used for survival analysis.

RESULTS

One hundred eighteen patients (45%) had poor neurological outcomes at 6 months. The expression level of serum miR-191-5p in patients with poor neurological outcomes was significantly lower than that in patients with good neurological prognosis (P < 0.001) and was not associated with TTM trial. The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of the ROC curve were 0.899, 84.7%, and 82.4%, respectively, suggesting that the level of miR-191-5p had the ability to predict neurological outcome. By the end of the experiment, 88 patients (34%) were dead. Results of survival analysis showed that lower miR-191-5p expression level was significantly associated with lower survival rate (HR: 0.344, 95% CI = 0.208-0.567, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The level of miR-191-5p was down-regulated in patients with poor neurological outcomes, and it could be used as a promising novel biomarker for prediction of neurological outcome and survival after OHCA.

Predictive Model of Good Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Prospective, Multicenter Observational Study Conducted by the Korean Cardiac Arrest Research Consortium

This observational study aimed to develop novel nomograms that predict the benefits of coronary angiography (CAG) after resuscitating patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) regardless of the electrocardiography findings and to perform an external validation of these models. Data were extracted from a prospective, multicenter registry of resuscitated patients with OHCA (October 2015–June 2018). New nomograms were developed based on variables associated with survival discharge and neurologic outcomes; their analysis included 723 and 709 patients, respectively. Patient age (p < 0.001), prehospital defibrillation by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) (p = 0.003), prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) (p = 0.02), and time from collapse to ROSC (p < 0.001) were associated with survival discharge. Patient age (p < 0.001), prehospital defibrillation by EMTs (p < 0.001), and time from collapse to ROSC (p < 0.001) were associated with neurologic outcomes. The new nomogram had a good predictive performance, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.8832 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8358–0.9305) for survival discharge and an AUC of 0.9048 (95% CI: 0.8627–0.9469) for neurologic outcomes. Novel nomograms that predict survival discharge and good neurological outcomes after CAG in patients with OHCA were developed and validated; they can be quickly and easily applied to identify patients who will benefit from CAG.

Outcomes of Cardiac Arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Device; an Insight From a National Inpatient Sample

BACKGROUND

Outcomes of patients with implanted left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation experiencing a cardiac arrest (CA) are not well reported. We aimed at defining the in-hospital outcomes of patients with implanted LVAD experiencing a CA.

METHODS

The national inpatient sample (NIS) was queried using ICD9/ICD10 codes for patients older than 18 years with implanted LVAD and CA between 2010-2018. We excluded patients with orthotropic heart transplantation, biventricular assist device (BiVAD) implantation and do not resuscitate (DNR) status.

RESULTS

A total of 93,153 hospitalisations between 2010 and 2018 with implanted LVAD were identified. Only 578 of these hospitalisations had experienced CA and of those, 173 (33%) hospitalisations underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The mean age of hospitalisations that experienced a CA was 60.61±14.85 for non-survivors and 56.23±17.33 for survivors (p=0.14). The in-hospital mortality was 60.8 % in hospitalisations with CA and 74.33% in hospitalisations in whom CPR was performed. In an analysis comparing survivors with non-survivors, non-survivors had more diabetes mellitus (DM) (p=0.01), and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) (p=0.04). Age, female sex, peripheral vascular disease and history of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) were independently associated with increased mortality in our cohort. Also, ventricular tachycardia (VT) and CPR were independently associated with in-hospital mortality. During the study period, there was a significantly decreasing trend in performing CPR in LVAD hospitalisations with CA.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, age, female sex, peripheral vascular disease, history of CABG, VT and CPR were independently associated with in-hospital mortality in LVAD hospitalisations who experienced CA.

Continuous vs Routine Electroencephalogram in Critically Ill Adults With Altered Consciousness and No Recent Seizure: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial

Question

In patients with acute consciousness impairment and no recent seizures, does continuous electroencephalogram (cEEG) correlate with reduced mortality compared with repeated routine EEG (rEEG)?

Findings

In this pragmatic, multicenter randomized clinical trial analyzing 364 adults, cEEG translated into a higher rate of seizures/status epilepticus detection and antiseizure treatment modifications but did not improve mortality compared with rEEG.

Meaning

Pending larger studies, rEEG may represent a valid alternative to cEEG in centers with limited resources.

Importance

In critically ill patients with altered consciousness, continuous electroencephalogram (cEEG) improves seizure detection, but is resource-consuming compared with routine EEG (rEEG). It is also uncertain whether cEEG has an effect on outcome.

Objective

To assess whether cEEG is associated with reduced mortality compared with rEEG.

Design, Setting, and Participants

The pragmatic multicenter Continuous EEG Randomized Trial in Adults (CERTA) was conducted between 2017 and 2018, with follow-up of 6 months. Outcomes were assessed by interviewers blinded to interventions.The study took place at 4 tertiary hospitals in Switzerland (intensive and intermediate care units). Depending on investigators’ availability, we pragmatically recruited critically ill adults having Glasgow Coma Scale scores of 11 or less or Full Outline of Responsiveness score of 12 or less, without recent seizures or status epilepticus. They had cerebral (eg, brain trauma, cardiac arrest, hemorrhage, or stroke) or noncerebral conditions (eg, toxic-metabolic or unknown etiology), and EEG was requested as part of standard care. An independent physician provided emergency informed consent.

Interventions

Participants were randomized 1:1 to cEEG for 30 to 48 hours vs 2 rEEGs (20 minutes each), interpreted according to standardized American Clinical Neurophysiology Society guidelines.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Mortality at 6 months represented the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included interictal and ictal features detection and change in therapy.

Results

We analyzed 364 patients (33% women; mean [SD] age, 63 [15] years). At 6 months, mortality was 89 of 182 in those with cEEG and 88 of 182 in those with rEEG (adjusted relative risk [RR], 1.02; 95% CI, 0.83-1.26; P = .85). Exploratory comparisons within subgroups stratifying patients according to age, premorbid disability, comorbidities on admission, deeper consciousness reduction, and underlying diagnoses revealed no significant effect modification. Continuous EEG was associated with increased detection of interictal features and seizures (adjusted RR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.08-1.15; P = .004 and 3.37; 95% CI, 1.63-7.00; P = .001, respectively) and more frequent adaptations in antiseizure therapy (RR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.12-3.00; P = .01).

Conclusions and Relevance

This pragmatic trial shows that in critically ill adults with impaired consciousness and no recent seizure, cEEG leads to increased seizure detection and modification of antiseizure treatment but is not related to improved outcome compared with repeated rEEG. Pending larger studies, rEEG may represent a valid alternative to cEEG in centers with limited resources.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03129438

Predicting In-Hospital Mortality in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND

Standardization of risk is critical in benchmarking and quality improvement efforts for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs). In 2018, the CathPCI Registry was updated to include additional variables to better classify higher-risk patients.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to develop a model for predicting in-hospital mortality risk following PCI incorporating these additional variables.

METHODS

Data from 706,263 PCIs performed between July 2018 and June 2019 at 1,608 sites were used to develop and validate a new full and pre-catheterization model to predict in-hospital mortality, and a simplified bedside risk score. The sample was randomly split into a development cohort (70%, n = 495,005) and a validation cohort (30%, n = 211,258). The authors created 1,000 bootstrapped samples of the development cohort and used stepwise selection logistic regression on each sample. The final model included variables that were selected in at least 70% of the bootstrapped samples and those identified a priori due to clinical relevance.

RESULTS

In-hospital mortality following PCI varied based on clinical presentation. Procedural urgency, cardiovascular instability, and level of consciousness after cardiac arrest were most predictive of in-hospital mortality. The full model performed well, with excellent discrimination (C-index: 0.943) in the validation cohort and good calibration across different clinical and procedural risk cohorts. The median hospital risk-standardized mortality rate was 1.9% and ranged from 1.1% to 3.3% (interquartile range: 1.7% to 2.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of mortality following PCI can be predicted in contemporary practice by incorporating variables that reflect clinical acuity. This model, which includes data previously not captured, is a valid instrument for risk stratification and for quality improvement efforts.

Outcome predictors of patients with out of hospital cardiac arrest and immediate coronary angiography

BACKGROUND

Out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is common and associated with low survival rates. Guidelines propose a fast work-up after OHCA including coronary angiography (CA) but little is known about the actual outcome of those patients who undergo immediate CA after OHCA with suspected cardiac origin.

AIM

The aim of this retrospective single-center study was to evaluate the short-term outcomes and predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients who underwent immediate CA after OHCA with suspected cardiac origin.

METHODS

We included all consecutive patients with OHCA who underwent immediate CA between January 2011 and December 2015. We defined immediate CA after OHCA as angiography within 2 hr after admission.

RESULTS

Two hundred and nineteen consecutive patients with OHCA were included. Fifty six patients (26%) underwent CA without previous return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and with ongoing CPR using the LUCAS-device. One hundred and forty nine patients (67%) died in hospital. Of the 56 patients with CA with ongoing CPR, 55 died and only 1 patient survived to hospital discharge. In a multivariate analysis, older age (OR = 2.03, 95%CI 1.35-3.03; p = .001), initial shockable rhythm (OR = 0.28, 95%CI 0.07-1.13; p = .076), CA with ongoing CPR (OR = 11.63, 95%CI 1.20-122.55; p = .035), and initial arterial pH (OR = 0.008, 95%CI 0.00-0.228; p < .005) remained as independent predictors for in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study older age, metabolic derangement on admission, initial nonshockable rhythm and failure to achieve ROSC before admission predicted in-hospital mortality. While CA with ongoing CPR with the LUCAS-device was feasible, mortality in patients without previous ROSC was extremely high, questioning whether this approach is medically useful.

A Population-Based Retrospective Analysis of Post-In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survival after Modification of the Chain of Survival

BACKGROUND

In 2010, the American Heart Association recommended that postcardiac arrest care should be included in the chain of survival to reduce permanent neurological damage, improve quality of life, and reduce health care expenses of postcardiac arrest care.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate post-in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survival prior to and after modification of the chain of survival in 2010, with subgroup analyses per age and concomitant coronary heart disease (CHD).

METHODS

We retrospectively searched the National Health Insurance Research Database for the 2007-2015 period to collect case data coded as "427.41" or "427.5" per International Classification of Disease Clinical Modification, Ninth revision codes and analyzed the data with SPSS v22.0.

RESULTS

The 1-day survival rate in the 2011-2015 period was 2% higher than that in the 2007-2010 period (odds ratio [OR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.04). Moreover, in the 2011-2015 period, the survival-to-discharge rate was increased by 1% in patients under 65 years (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.02) and 1% in CHD patients (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.01-1.02) compared with that in the 2007-2010 period.

CONCLUSION

For patients with IHCA, the overall short-term survival improved significantly after modification of the chain of survival. Younger patients and patients with CHD had better long-term survival.

Utility and Challenges of an Early Invasive Strategy in Patients Resuscitated From Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is frequently triggered by acute myocardial ischemia. Coronary angiography is an important component of post-resuscitation care for patients with OHCA without an evident noncardiac cause, to identify underlying coronary artery disease and allow revascularization. Most patients undergoing coronary angiography after OHCA have obstructive coronary artery disease, and nearly one-half of patients have acute coronary occlusion. Early coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention after OHCA have been associated with improved survival in observational studies, but these studies demonstrate selection bias, and randomized trials are lacking. Selection of patients for coronary angiography after OHCA can be challenging, particularly in comatose patients whose outcomes are driven primarily by anoxic brain injury. As for other patients with acute coronary syndromes, patients with ST-segment elevation after OHCA have a high probability of acute coronary occlusion warranting emergent coronary angiography. Patients with cardiogenic shock after OHCA are a high-risk population also requiring emergent coronary angiography. Among patients in stable condition after OHCA without ST-segment elevation, other clinical predictors can be used to identify those needing early coronary angiography to identify obstructive coronary artery disease. Despite the challenges with early neurological prognostication in comatose patients with OHCA, those with multiple objective markers of poor prognosis appear less likely to benefit from revascularization, and early coronary angiography may be reasonably deferred in appropriately selected patients meeting these criteria. The authors propose an algorithm to guide patient selection for coronary angiography after OHCA that combines clinical predictors of acute coronary occlusion and early clinical predictors of severe brain injury.

Impact of Structured Pathways for Postcardiac Arrest Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES

Recent research has demonstrated value in selected therapeutic and prognostic interventions delivered to patients following cardiac arrest. The aim of this work was to determine if the implementation of a structured care pathway, which combines different interventions, could improve outcomes in survivors of cardiac arrest.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed and review of citations in retrieved articles.

STUDY SELECTION

Randomized trials and prospective observational studies conducted in adult cardiac arrest patients, which evaluated the impact on outcome of a structured care pathway, defined as an organized set of interventions designed specifically for postcardiac arrest patients.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data collected included study characteristics and methodologic quality, populations enrolled, interventions that were part of the cardiac arrest structured care pathway, and outcomes. The principal outcome was favorable functional status defined as a Cerebral Performance Category score of 1-2 at or after hospital discharge.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The systematic search retrieved 481 articles of which nine (total, 1,994 patients) were selected for systematic review, and six (1,422 patients) met criteria for meta-analysis. Interventions in the care pathways included early coronary angiography with or without percutaneous coronary intervention (eight studies), targeted temperature management (nine studies), and protocolized management in the ICU (seven studies). Neurologic prognostication was not a part of any of the structured pathways. Meta-analysis found significantly higher odds of achieving a favorable functional outcome in patients who were treated in a structured care pathway, when compared with standard care (odds ratio, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.46-3.81).

CONCLUSIONS

Following cardiac arrest, patients treated in a structured care pathway may have a substantially higher likelihood of favorable functional outcome than those who receive standard care. These findings suggest benefit of a highly organized approach to postcardiac arrest care, in which a cluster of evidence-based interventions are delivered by a specialized interdisciplinary team. Given the overall low certainty of evidence, definitive recommendations will need confirmation in additional high-quality studies.

Changes in Temperature Management of Cardiac Arrest Patients Following Publication of the Target Temperature Management Trial

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate knowledge translation after publication of the target temperature management 33°C versus 36°C after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest trial and associated patient outcomes. Our primary hypothesis was that target temperature management at 36°C was rapidly adopted in Australian and New Zealand ICUs. Secondary hypotheses were that temporal reductions in mortality would be seen and would have accelerated after publication of the target temperature management trial.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study (January 2005 to December 2016).

SETTING

The Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Centre for Outcome and Resource Evaluation adult patient database containing greater than 2 million admission episodes from 186 Australian and New Zealand ICUs.

PATIENTS

Sixteen-thousand two-hundred fifty-two adults from 140 hospitals admitted to ICU after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

INTERVENTIONS

The primary exposure of interest was admission before versus after publication of the target temperature management trial.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The primary outcome variable to evaluate changes in temperature management was lowest temperature in the first 24 hours in ICU. The primary clinical outcome variable of interest was inhospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included proportion of patients with fever in the first 24 hours in ICU. Mean ± SD lowest temperature in the first 24 hours in ICU in pre- and posttarget temperature management trial patients was 33.80 ± 1.71°C and 34.70 ± 1.39°C, respectively (absolute difference, 0.98°C [99% CI, 0.89-1.06°C]). Inhospital mortality rate decreased by 1.3 (99% CI, -1.8 to -0.9) percentage points per year from January 2005 until December 2013 and increased by 0.6 (99% CI, -1.4 to 2.6) percentage points per year from January 2014 until December 2016 (change in slope 1.9 percentage points per year [99% CI, -0.6 to 4.4]). Fever occurred in 568 (12.8%) of 4,450 pretarget temperature management trial patients and 853 (16.5%) of 5,184 posttarget temperature management trial patients (odds ratio, 1.35 [99% CI, 1.16-1.57]).

CONCLUSIONS

The average lowest temperature of postcardiac arrest patients in the first 24 hours in ICU rose after publication of the target temperature management trial. This change was associated with an increased frequency of fever not seen in the target temperature management trial.

Health Care Costs After Cardiac Arrest in the United States

BACKGROUND

This study was designed to estimate the costs of index hospitalizations after cardiac arrest in the United States.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2003-2012) to identify patients with cardiac arrest. Log transformation of inflation-adjusted cost was determined for care to patient outcomes. Overall, an estimated 1 387 396 patients were hospitalized after cardiac arrest. The mean age of the cohort was 66 years, 45% were women, and the majority were white. Inpatient procedures included coronary angiography (15%), percutaneous coronary intervention (7%), intra-aortic balloon pump (4.4%), therapeutic hypothermia (1.1%), and mechanical circulatory support (0.1%). The rates of therapeutic hypothermia increased from zero in 2003 to 2.7% in 2012 (P<0.001). Both hospital charges and inflation-adjusted cost increased linearly over time. In a multivariate analysis, predictors of inflation-adjusted cost included large hospital size, urban teaching hospital, and length of stay. Among comorbidities, atrial fibrillation or fluid and electrolytes imbalance was most associated with cost. Among selected interventions, the cost was significantly increased with automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators (odds ratio, 1.83; P<0.001), intra-aortic balloon pump (odds ratio, 1.50; P<0.001), hypothermia (odds ratio, 1.28; P<0.001), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (odds ratio, 2.38; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In the period between 2003 and 2012, postcardiac arrest hospitalizations resulted in a steady rise in associated health care cost, likely related to increased length of stay, medical procedures, and systems of care. Although targeted cost containment for postarrest interventions may reduce the finance burden, there is an increasing need for funding research into prediction and prevention of cardiac arrest, which offers greater societal benefit.

Prearrest prediction of favourable neurological survival following in-hospital cardiac arrest: The Prediction of outcome for In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (PIHCA) score

BACKGROUND

A prearrest prediction tool can aid clinicians in consolidating objective findings with clinical judgement and in balance with the values of the patient be a part of the decision process for do-not-attempt-resuscitation (DNAR) orders. A previous prearrest prediction tool for in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) have not performed satisfactory in external validation in a Swedish cohort. Therefore our aim was to develop a prediction model for the Swedish setting.

METHODS

Model development was based on previous external validation of The Good Outcome Following Attempted Resuscitation (GO-FAR) score, with 717 adult IHCAs. It included redefinition and reduction of predictors, and addition of chronic comorbidity, to create a full model of 9 predictors. Outcome was favourable neurological survival defined as Cerebral Performance Category score 1-2  at discharge. The likelihood of favourable neurological survival was categorised into very low (<1%), low (1-3%) and above low (>3%).

RESULTS

We called the model the Prediction of outcome for In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (PIHCA) score. The AUROC was 0.808 (95% CI 0.807-0.810) and calibration was satisfactory. With a cutoff of 3% likelihood of favourable neurological survival sensitivity was 99.4% and specificity 8.4%. Although specificity was limited, predictive value for classification into ≤3% likelihood of favorable neurological survival was high (97.4%) and false classification into ≤3% likelihood of favourable neurological survival was low (0.6%).

CONCLUSION

The PIHCA score has the potential to be used as an objective tool in prearrest prediction of outcome after IHCA, as part of the decision process for a DNAR order.

Distinct predictive values of current neuroprognostic guidelines in post-cardiac arrest patients

PURPOSE

To assess the performance of neuroprognostic guidelines proposed by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), European Resuscitation Council/European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ERC/ESICM), and American Heart Association (AHA) in predicting outcomes of patients who remain unconscious after cardiac arrest.

METHODS

We retrospectively identified a cohort of unconscious post-cardiac arrest patients at a single tertiary care centre from 2011 to 2017 and reviewed hospital records for clinical, radiographic, electrophysiologic, and biochemical findings. Outcomes at discharge and 6 months post-arrest were abstracted and dichotomized as good (Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scores of 1-2) versus poor (CPC 3-5). Outcomes predicted by current guidelines were compared to actual outcomes, with false positive rate (FPR) used as a measure of predictive value.

RESULTS

Of 226 patients, 36% survived to discharge, including 24 with good outcomes; 52% had withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies (WLST) during hospitalization. The AAN guideline yielded discharge and 6-month FPR of 8% and 15%, respectively. In contrast, the ERC/ESICM had a FPR of 0% at both discharge and 6 months. The AHA predictors had variable specificities, with diffuse hypoxic-ischaemic injury on MRI performing especially poorly (FPR 12%) at both discharge and 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Though each guideline had components that performed well, only the ERC/ESICM guideline yielded a 0% FPR. Amongst the AAN and AHA guidelines, false positives emerged more readily at 6 months, reflective of continuing recovery after discharge, even in a cohort inevitably biased by WLST. Further assessment of predictive modalities is needed to improve neuroprognostic accuracy.

Improved survival of hospitalized patients with cardiac arrest due to coronary heart disease after implementation of post-cardiac arrest care: A population-based study

Post-cardiac arrest care was implemented in 2010 and has been shown to improve the survival of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the findings varied for different survival conditions.We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study of records from 2007 to 2013 in the National Health Insurance Research Database. We evaluated the differences in short-term (2-day and 7-day) and long-term (30-day and survival to discharge) survival after the implementation of post-cardiac arrest care and among age subgroups. We reviewed inpatient datasets in accordance with the International Classification of Disease Clinical Modification, 9th revision codes (ICD-9-CM). Eligible participants were identified as those with simultaneous diagnoses of cardiac arrest (ICD-9-CM codes: 427.41 or 427.5) and CHD (ICD-9-CM codes: 410-414). Multiple logistic regression was applied to establish the relationship between calendar year and survival outcomes.The odds of 2-day survival from 2011 to 2013 were higher than those from 2007 to 2010 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.29). Similarly, the odds of 7-day survival from 2011 to 2013 were higher than those from 2007 to 2010 (aOR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01-1.22). Improvements in the odds of 2-day and 7-day survival were discovered only in patients <65 years old. Our data reinforce that short-term survival improved after implementation of post-cardiac arrest care. However, older age seemed to nullify the influence of post-cardiac arrest care on survival.

Anoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury

Improvements in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and intensive care medicine have led to declining mortality rates for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, but overall it is still a minority that achieves good outcomes. Estimating neurologic prognosis for patients that remain comatose after resuscitation remains a challenge and the need for accurate and early prognostic predictors is crucial. A thoughtful approach is required and should take into account information acquired from multiple tests in association with neurologic examination. No decision should be made based on a single predictor. In addition to clinical examination, somatosensory evoked potentials, electroencephalogram, serum biomarkers, and neuroimaging provide complimentary information to inform prognosis.

Survival rate variation among different types of hospitalized traumatic cardiac arrest: A retrospective and nationwide study

Studies regarding the prognostic factors for survival conditions and the proportions of survival to discharge among different types of hospitalized traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) during the period of postresuscitation are limited.This nationwide study was designed to determine certain parameters and clarify the effect of various injuries on the survival of hospitalized TCA patients to discharge.Data were retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) from 2007 to 2013 in Taiwan. We reviewed patients with a diagnosis of TCA using International Classification of Disease Clinical Modification, 9th revision codes (ICD-9-CM codes). Patients identified for analysis were simultaneously coded in traumatic etiology (ICD-9-CM codes: 800-999) and cardiac arrest (ICD-9-CM codes: 427.41 or 427.5). The determinants and effects of different types of injury on survival were evaluated by SPSS 22.0 (IBM, Armonk, NY).A total of 3481 cases of hospitalized TCA were selected from the NHIRD. The overall rate of survival to discharge was 22.1%. The results indicated a decreased adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of survival to discharge with higher numbers of organ failure (aOR: 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73-0.92). Patients with ventricular fibrillation had a better discharge rate (aOR: 4.33; 95% CI: 3.29-5.70). Two parameters, transfer to another hospital and the number of intensive care unit beds, were positively correlated with survival. Compared with traffic accidents, different injuries associated with survival to discharge were identified; the aOR (95% CI) was 1.89 (1.12-3.19) for poisoning, 1.63 (1.13-2.36) for falls, and 2.00 (1.36-2.92) for drowning/suffocation.This study has shown that hospitalized TCA patients with multiple organ failure may be less likely to be discharged from the hospital. The presence of ventricular fibrillation rhythm on admission increased the odds of survival to discharge. In the phase of postcardiac arrest care, the number of intensive care unit beds and transfer to another hospital were positively correlated with survival. Those events attributed to traffic accidents have a much worse influence on the main outcome.

Demographic, social, economic and geographic factors associated with long-term outcomes in a cohort of cardiac arrest survivors

BACKGROUND

Demographic, social, economic and geographic factors are associated with increased short-term mortality after cardiac arrest. We sought to determine if these factors are additionally associated with long-term outcome differences using a detailed clinical database linked to state-wide administrative data.

METHODS

We included cardiac arrest patients surviving to hospital discharge from five hospitals in the United States from 2005 to 2013, with follow-up through 2015. We obtained information on sex, race, arrest location, initial rhythm, median ZIP code income, post-arrest illness severity, cardiac catheterization, internal cardioverter-defibrillator insertion, rural residence and drive time from residence to the nearest acute care hospital. We used Cox proportional hazard models identify predictors of mortality.

RESULTS

We included 891 patients followed for 2081 patient-years. There were 340 deaths with median survival 6 years. In adjusted models we identified an interaction effect between median ZIP code income and cardiac catheterization. Among patients who had cardiac catheterization there was an attenuated benefit from cardiac catheterization at progressively lower neighborhood incomes (adjusted HR: 0.21 to 0.46 to 0.56). Residence more than 20 min from the nearest acute care hospital was associated with increased hazard of death (adjusted HR: 1.48; 95%CI: 1.35-1.62), after controlling for rural residence and residence in a Medically Underserved Area/Population. Female patients showed less benefit following ICD placement (male adjusted HR: 0.49; female adjusted HR: 0.66).

CONCLUSIONS

There are persistent long-term outcome differences in cardiac arrest survival based on sex, income, and geographic access acute care.

Survival factors of hospitalized out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients in Taiwan: A retrospective study

The chain of survival has been shown to improve the chances of survival for victims of cardiac arrest. Post-cardiac arrest care has been demonstrated to significantly impact the survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). How post-cardiac arrest care influences the survival of OHCA patients has been a main concern in recent years. The objective of this study was to assess the survival outcome of hospitalized OHCA patients and determine the factors associated with improved survival in terms of survival to discharge. We conducted a retrospective observational study by analyzing records from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan from 2007 to 2013. We collected cases with an International Classification of Disease Clinical Modification, 9^threvision primary diagnosis codes of 427.41 (ventricular fibrillation, VF) or 427.5 (cardiac arrest) and excluded patients less than 18 years old, as well as cases with an unknown outcome or a combination of traumatic comorbidities. We then calculated the proportion of survival to discharge among hospitalized OHCA patients. Factors associated with the dependent variable were examined by logistic regression. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 22 (IBM, Armonk, NY). Of the 11,000 cases, 2,499 patients (22.7%) survived to hospital discharge. The mean age of subjects who survived to hospital discharge and those who did not was 66.7±16.7 and 71.7±15.2 years, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, neurological failure, cardiac comorbidities, hospital level, intensive care unit beds, transfer to another hospital, and length of hospital stay were independent predictors of improved survival. Cardiac rhythm on admission was a strong factor associated with survival to discharge (VF vs. non-VF: adjusted odds ratio: 3.51; 95% confidence interval: 3.06–4.01). In conclusion, cardiac comorbidities, hospital volume, cardiac rhythm on admission, transfer to another hospital and length of hospital stay had a significant positive association with survival to discharge in hospitalized OHCA patients in Taiwan.

Hospitalization Rates, Prevalence of Cardiovascular Manifestations, and Outcomes Associated With Sarcoidosis in the United States

BACKGROUND

Recent trends of hospitalizations and in-hospital mortality are not well defined in sarcoidosis. We examined aforementioned trends and prevalence of cardiovascular manifestations and explored rates of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation in hospitalizations with sarcoidosis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using data from the National Inpatient Sample, a retrospective population cohort from 2005 to 2014 was studied. To identify sarcoidosis, an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis code was used. We excluded hospitalizations with myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and ischemic cardiomyopathy. Cardiovascular manifestations were defined by the presence of diagnosis codes for conduction disorders, arrhythmias, heart failure, nonischemic cardiomyopathy, and pulmonary hypertension. A total of 609 051 sarcoidosis hospitalizations were identified, with an age of 55±14 years, 67% women, and 50% black. The number of sarcoidosis hospitalizations increased from 2005 through 2014 (138 versus 175 per 100 000, Ptrend<0.001). We observed declining trends of unadjusted in-hospital mortality (6.5 to 4.9 per 100 sarcoidosis hospitalizations, Ptrend<0.001). Overall ≈31% (n=188 438) of sarcoidosis hospitalizations had coexistent cardiovascular manifestations of one or more type. Heart failure (≈16%) and arrhythmias (≈15%) were the most prevalent cardiovascular manifestations. Rates of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement were ≈7.5 per 1000 sarcoidosis hospitalizations (Ptrend=0.95) during the study period. Black race was associated with 21% increased risk of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.27 [P<0.001]).

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcoidosis hospitalizations have increased over the past decade with a myriad of coexistent cardiovascular manifestations. Black race is a significant predictor of in-hospital mortality, which is declining. Further efforts are needed to improve care in view of low implantable cardioverter-defibrillator rates in sarcoidosis.