Vasopressin Infusion with Small-Volume Fluid Resuscitation during Hemorrhagic Shock Promotes Hemodynamic Stability and Survival in Swine

Targeted Delivery of Electrical Shocks and Epinephrine, Guided by Ventricular Fibrillation Amplitude Spectral Area, Reduces Electrical and Adrenergic Myocardial Burden, Improving Survival in Swine

Background

We previously reported that resuscitation delivering electrical shocks guided by real‐time ventricular fibrillation amplitude spectral area (AMSA) enabled return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) with fewer shocks, resulting in less myocardial dysfunction. We now hypothesized that AMSA could also guide delivery of epinephrine, expecting further outcome improvement consequent to less electrical and adrenergic burdens.

Methods and Results

A swine model of ventricular fibrillation was used to compare after 10 minutes of untreated ventricular fibrillation a guidelines‐driven (n=8) resuscitation protocol, delivering shocks every 2 minutes and epinephrine every 4 minutes, with an AMSA‐driven shocks (n=8) protocol, delivering epinephrine every 4 minutes, and with an AMSA‐driven shocks and epinephrine (ADSE; n=8) protocol. For guidelines‐driven, AMSA‐driven shocks, and ADSE protocols, the time to ROSC (mean±SD) was 569±164, 410±111, and 400±80 seconds (P=0.045); the number of shocks (mean±SD) was 5±2, 3±1, and 3±2 (P=0.024) with ADSE fewer than guidelines‐driven (P=0.03); and the doses of epinephrine (median [interquartile range]) were 2.0 (1.3–3.0), 1.0 (1.0–2.8), and 1.0 (0.3–3.0) (P=0.419). The ROSC rate was similar, yet survival after ROSC favored AMSA‐driven protocols (guidelines‐driven, 3/6; AMSA‐driven shocks, 6/6; and ADSE, 7/7; P=0.019 by log‐rank test). Left ventricular function and survival after ROSC correlated inversely with electrical burden (ie, cumulative unsuccessful shocks, J/kg; P=0.020 and P=0.046) and adrenergic burden (ie, total epinephrine doses, mg/kg; P=0.042 and P=0.002).

Conclusions

Despite similar ROSC rates achieved with all 3 protocols, AMSA‐driven shocks and ADSE resulted in less postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction and better survival, attributed to attaining ROSC with less electrical and adrenergic myocardial burdens.

Real-Time Ventricular Fibrillation Amplitude-Spectral Area Analysis to Guide Timing of Shock Delivery Improves Defibrillation Efficacy During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Swine

Background

The ventricular fibrillation amplitude spectral area (AMSA) predicts whether an electrical shock could terminate ventricular fibrillation and prompt return of spontaneous circulation. We hypothesized that AMSA can guide more precise timing for effective shock delivery during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Methods and Results

Three shock delivery protocols were compared in 12 pigs each after electrically induced ventricular fibrillation, with the duration of untreated ventricular fibrillation evenly stratified into 6, 9, and 12 minutes: AMSA‐Driven (AD), guided by an AMSA algorithm; Guidelines‐Driven (GD), according to cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines; and Guidelines‐Driven/AMSA‐Enabled (GDAE), as per GD but allowing earlier shocks upon exceeding an AMSA threshold. Shocks delivered using the AD, GD, and GDAE protocols were 21, 40, and 62, with GDAE delivering only 2 AMSA‐enabled shocks. The corresponding 240‐minute survival was 8/12, 6/12, and 2/12 (log‐rank test, P=0.035) with AD exceeding GDAE (P=0.026). The time to first shock (seconds) was (median [Q1–Q3]) 272 (161–356), 124 (124–125), and 125 (124–125) (P<0.001) with AD exceeding GD and GDAE (P<0.05); the average coronary perfusion pressure before first shock (mm Hg) was 16 (9–30), 10 (6–12), and 3 (−1 to 9) (P=0.002) with AD exceeding GDAE (P<0.05); and AMSA preceding the first shock (mV·Hz, mean±SD) was 13.3±2.2, 9.0±1.6, and 8.6±2.0 (P<0.001) with AD exceeding GD and GDAE (P<0.001). The AD protocol delivered fewer unsuccessful shocks (ie, less shock burden) yielding less postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction and higher 240‐minute survival.

Conclusions

The AD protocol improved the time precision for shock delivery, resulting in less shock burden and less postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction, potentially improving survival compared with time‐fixed, guidelines‐driven, shock delivery protocols.

Supplemental arginine vasopressin during the resuscitation of severe hemorrhagic shock preserves renal mitochondrial function

Arginine vasopressin (AVP), a hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary, plays a vital role in maintaining vasomotor tone during acute blood loss. We hypothesized that decompensated hemorrhagic shock is associated with decreased AVP stores and supplementation during resuscitation would improve both blood pressure and renal function. Using a decompensated hemorrhagic shock model, male Long-Evans rats were bled to mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) of 40mmHg and maintained until the MAP could not be sustained without fluid. Once 40% of the shed volume was returned in lactated Ringer’s (Severe Shock), animals were resuscitated over 60 minutes with 4x the shed volume in lactated Ringer’s (LR) or the same fluids with AVP (0.5 units/kg+ 0.03 units/kg/min). Animals (n = 6-9/group) were sacrificed before hemorrhage (Sham), at Severe Shock, following resuscitation (60R, 60R with AVP) or 18 hours post-resuscitation (18hr, 18hr with AVP). Blood samples were taken to measure AVP levels and renal function. Pituitaries were harvested and assayed for AVP. Kidney samples were taken to assess mitochondrial function, histology, and oxidative damage. Baseline pituitary AVP stores (30,364 ± 5311 pg/mg) decreased with severe shock and were significantly depressed post-resuscitation (13,910 ± 3016 pg/ml. p<0.05) and at 18hr (15,592 ±1169 pg/ml, p<0.05). Resuscitation with LR+AVP led to higher serum AVP levels at 60R (31±8 vs 79±12; p<0.01) with an improved MAP both at 60R (125±3 vs 77±7mmHg; p<0.01) and 18hr (82±6 vs 69±5mmHg;p<0.05). AVP supplementation preserved complex I respiratory capacity at 60R and both complex I and II function at 18hr (p<0.05). AVP was also associated with decreased reactive oxygen species at 60R (856±67 vs 622±48F RFU) and significantly decreased oxidative damage as measured by mitochondrial lipid peroxidation (0.9±0.1 vs 1.7±0.1 fold change, p<0.01) and nitrosylation (0.9±0.1 vs 1.4±0.2 fold change, p<0.05). With AVP, renal damage was mitigated at 60R and histologic architecture was conserved at 18 hours. In conclusion, pituitary and serum AVP levels decrease during severe hemorrhage and may contribute to the development of decompensated hemorrhagic shock. Supplementing exogenous AVP during resuscitation improves blood pressure, preserves renal mitochondrial function, and mitigates acute kidney injury.

Early and sustained vasopressin infusion augments the hemodynamic efficacy of restrictive fluid resuscitation and improves survival in a liver laceration model of hemorrhagic shock

BACKGROUND

Current management of hemorrhagic shock favors restrictive fluid resuscitation before control of the bleeding source. We investigated the additional effects of early and sustained vasopressin infusion in a swine model of hemorrhagic shock produced by liver laceration.

METHODS

Forty male domestic pigs (32-40 kg) had a liver laceration inflicted with an X-shaped blade clamp, 32 received a second laceration at minute 7.5, and 24 received two additional lacerations at minute 15. Using a two-by-two factorial design, animals were randomized 1:1 to receive vasopressin infusion (0.04 U/kg per minute) or vehicle intraosseously from minute 7 until minute 240 and 1:1 to receive isotonic sodium chloride solution (12 mL/kg) intravenously at minute 30 or no fluids.

RESULTS

Kaplan-Meier curves showed greater survival after vasopressin with isotonic sodium chloride solution (8/10) compared to vasopressin without isotonic sodium chloride solution (4/10), vehicle with isotonic sodium chloride solution (3/10), or vehicle without isotonic sodium chloride solution (3/10), but the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.095 by log-rank test). However, logistic regression showed vasopressin to elicit a statistically significant benefit on survival (p = 0.042). Vasopressin augmented mean aortic pressure between 10 and 20 mm Hg without intensifying the rate of bleeding from liver laceration, which was virtually identical to that of vehicle-treated animals (33.9 ± 5.1 and 33.8 ± 4.8 mL/kg). Vasopressin increased systemic vascular resistance and reduced transcapillary fluid extravasation, augmenting the volume of isotonic sodium chloride solution retained (6.5 ± 2.7 vs 2.4 ± 2.0 mL/kg by minute 60). The cardiac output and blood flow to the myocardium, liver, spleen, kidney, small bowel, and skeletal muscle at minute 120 and minute 180 were comparable or higher in the vasopressin group.

CONCLUSIONS

Early and sustained vasopressin infusion provided critical hemodynamic stability during hemorrhagic shock induced by liver laceration and increased the hemodynamic efficacy of restrictive fluid resuscitation without intensifying bleeding or compromising organ blood flow resulting in improved 240-minute survival.

Evaluation of the clinical effect of small-volume resuscitation on uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock in emergency

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the present study was to explore the resuscitative effect of small-volume resuscitation on uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock in emergency.

METHODS

In this study, the resuscitative effects in 200 trauma patients with uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock in emergency were studied. Half of these patients were infused with hypertonic/hyperoncotic fluid (small-volume resuscitation group, n=100), whereas the rest were infused with Hespan and lactated Ringer's solution (conventional fluid resuscitation group, n=100). The changes in hemodynamics, coagulation function, blood biochemistry, blood hematology, and the average infusion volume in both the groups were comparatively studied.

RESULTS

It was found that the hemodynamics were improved in both the groups after resuscitation. Interestingly, compared with trauma patients infused with Hespan and lactated Ringer's solution, the growth rate, range, and time duration of the mean arterial pressure of the patients in small-volume resuscitation group increased significantly, and the shock index decreased progressively; in the 60th min after the resuscitation, blood index including hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet declined, whereas prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time were prolonged in both the groups, but these changes were less obvious in the small-volume group. In addition, the average infusion volume of patients in the small-volume group was less than that of patients in conventional fluid resuscitation group.

CONCLUSION

Featured with small infusion volume and less influence to coagulation function and homeostasis of human body, small-volume resuscitation possesses a significantly higher resuscitative effect. Therefore, trauma patients may have a better chance to maintain the hemodynamic stability and the survival rate, or recovery speed will be increased when traditional aggressive fluid resuscitation is replaced by small-volume resuscitation.