Coagulofibrinolytic Changes in Patients with Post-cardiac Arrest Syndrome

Bleeding and Thrombosis in Patients With Out-of-Hospital Ventricular Tachycardia/Ventricular Fibrillation Arrest Treated With Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

BACKGROUND

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation improves outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. However, bleeding and thrombosis are common complications. We aimed to describe the incidence and predictors of bleeding and thrombosis and their association with in-hospital mortality.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Consecutive patients presenting with refractory ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between December 2015 and March 2022 who met the criteria for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation initiation at our center were included. Major bleeding was defined by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization's criteria. Adjusted analyses were done to seek out risk factors for bleeding and thrombosis and evaluate their association with mortality. Major bleeding occurred in 135 of 200 patients (67.5%), with traumatic bleeding from cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 73 (36.5%). Baseline demographics and arrest characteristics were similar between groups. In multivariable analysis, decreasing levels of fibrinogen were independently associated with bleeding (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.98 per every 10 mg/dL rise [95% CI, 0.96-0.99]). Patients who died had a higher rate of bleeds per day (0.21 versus 0.03, P<0.001) though bleeding was not significantly associated with in-hospital death (aHR, 0.81 [95% CI. 0.55-1.19]). A thrombotic event occurred in 23.5% (47/200) of patients. Venous thromboembolism occurred in 11% (22/200) and arterial thrombi in 15.5% (31/200). Clinical characteristics were comparable between groups. In adjusted analyses, no risk factors for thrombosis were identified. Thrombosis was not associated with in-hospital death (aHR, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.42-1.03]).

CONCLUSIONS

Bleeding is a frequent complication of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation that is associated with decreased fibrinogen levels on admission whereas thrombosis is less common. Neither bleeding nor thrombosis was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality.

Cardiac arrest, stony heart, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation: An updated revisit

The post-resuscitation period is recognized as the main predictor of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) outcomes. The first description of post-resuscitation syndrome and stony heart was published over 50 years ago. Major manifestations may include but are not limited to, persistent precipitating pathology, systemic ischemia/reperfusion response, post-cardiac arrest brain injury, and finally, post-cardiac arrest myocardial dysfunction (PAMD) after successful resuscitation. Why do some patients initially survive successful resuscitation, and others do not? Also, why does the myocardium response vary after resuscitation? These questions have kept scientists busy for several decades since the first successful resuscitation was described. By modifying the conventional modalities of resuscitation together with new promising agents, rescuers will be able to salvage the jeopardized post-resuscitation myocardium and prevent its progression to a dismal, stony heart. Community awareness and staff education are crucial for shortening the resuscitation time and improving short- and long-term outcomes. Awareness of these components before and early after the restoration of circulation will enhance the resuscitation outcomes. This review extensively addresses the underlying pathophysiology, management, and outcomes of post-resuscitation syndrome. The pattern, management, and outcome of PAMD and post-cardiac arrest shock are different based on many factors, including in-hospital cardiac arrest vs out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), witnessed vs unwitnessed cardiac arrest, the underlying cause of arrest, the duration, and protocol used for CPR. Although restoring spontaneous circulation is a vital sign, it should not be the end of the game or lone primary outcome; it calls for better understanding and aggressive multi-disciplinary interventions and care. The development of stony heart post-CPR and OHCA remain the main challenges in emergency and critical care medicine.

Coagulofibrinolytic effects of recombinant soluble thrombomodulin in prolonged porcine cardiac arrest

Aim

To evaluate coagulofibrinolytic abnormalities and the effects of ART-123 (recombinant human thrombomodulin alpha) in a porcine model of cardiac arrest and prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/CPR).

Methods

Fifteen pigs (n = 5 per group) underwent 8 minutes of no-flow CA followed by 50 minutes of mechanical CPR, while 2 pigs underwent sham arrest. CA/CPR animals were randomized to receive saline or 1 mg/kg ART-123 pre-arrest (5 minutes prior to ventricular fibrillation) or post-arrest (2 minutes after initiation of CPR). Arterial and venous blood samples were drawn at multiple time points for blood gas analysis and measurement of plasma and whole blood markers of coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Results

In saline-treated CA/CPR, but not sham animals, robust and persistent activation of coagulation and fibrinolysis was observed throughout resuscitation. After 50 minutes of CPR, plasma tests and thromboelastography indicated a mix of hypercoagulability and consumptive coagulopathy. ART-123 had a robust anticoagulant effect, reducing both thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complexes and d-dimer (p < 0.05 for each). The duration of anticoagulant effect varied depending on the timing of ART-123 administration. Similarly, ART-123 when given prior to cardiac arrest was found to have pro-fibrinolytic effects, increasing free tissue plasminogen activator (tPA, p = 0.02) and decreasing free plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1, p = 0.04).

Conclusion

A porcine model of prolonged CA/CPR reproduces many of the coagulofibrinolytic abnormalities observed in human cardiac arrest patients. ART-123 demonstrates a combination of anticoagulant and profibrinolytic effects, depending on the timing of its administration relative to cardiac arrest.

Performance of the systemic immune-inflammation index in predicting survival to discharge in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Objective

To investigate whether the systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) could be used as a prognostic marker of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

Methods

We evaluated patients aged 18 years and older, who presented to the emergency department (ED) due to OHCA between January 2019 and December 2021 and achieved the return of spontaneous circulation after successful resuscitation. Routine laboratory tests were obtained from the first blood samples measured following the patients' admission to ED. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were calculated by dividing the neutrophil and platelet counts by the lymphocyte count. SII was calculated as platelets × neutrophils / lymphocytes.

Results

Among the 237 patients with OHCA included in the study, the in-hospital mortality rate was 82.7%. The SII, NLR, and PLR values were statistically significantly lower in the surviving group than in the deceased group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SII [odds ratio (OR): 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.56-0.84, p = 0.004] was an independent predictor of survival to discharge. In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the power of SII to predict survival to discharge [area under the curve (AUC): 0.798] was higher than either NLR (AUC: 0.739) or PLR (AUC: 0.632) alone. SII values below 700.8% predicted survival to discharge with 80.6% sensitivity and 70.7% specificity.

Conclusion

Our findings showed that SII was more valuable than NLR and PLR in predicting survival to discharge and could be used as a predictive marker for this purpose.

Association Between Procalcitonin Level at 72 Hours After Cardiac Arrest and Neurological Outcomes in Cardiac Arrest Survivors

The association between procalcitonin (PCT) level measured 72 hours after cardiac arrest (CA) and neurological outcomes is unknown. We aimed to examine the association of serial PCT levels up to 72 hours with neurological outcomes in patients who underwent targeted temperature management (TTM) after CA. This retrospective observational study included adult comatose patients with CA undergoing TTM (33℃ for 24 hours) at the Chonnam National University Hospital in Gwangju, Korea, between January 2018 and December 2020. PCT levels were measured at admission and at 24, 48, and 72 hours after CA. The presence of early-onset infections (within 7 days after CA) was confirmed by reviewing clinical, radiological, and microbiological data. The primary outcome was poor neurological outcomes at 6 months and was defined by cerebral performance category 3-5. Among the CA survivors, 118 were included and 67 (56.8%) had poor neurological outcomes. The PCT level at 72 hours in the poor outcome group (3.01 [0.88-12.71]) was higher than that in good outcome group (0.56 [0.18-1.32]). The multivariate analysis revealed that the PCT level at 72 hours (adjusted odds ratio 1.241; 95% confidence interval, 1.059-1.455) was independently associated with poor neurological outcomes, showed good performance for poor outcomes (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.823), and was not associated with early-onset infections. The PCT level at 72 hours after CA can be helpful in predicting prognosis, and it did not correlate with early-onset infections in the study.

Association between prothrombin time-international normalized ratio and prognosis of post-cardiac arrest patients: A retrospective cohort study

Background

Cardiac arrest (CA) can activate blood coagulation. This study aimed to explore the potential prognostic value of prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (INR) in post-CA patients.

Methods

The clinical data of eligible subjects diagnosed with CA was extracted from the MIMIC-IV database as the training cohort. Restricted cubic spline (RCS), Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curve, and Cox regression analyses were conducted to elucidate the association between the INR and all-cause mortality of post-CA patients. Subgroup analysis, propensity score matching (PSM), and inverse probability of treatment (IPTW) were also conducted to improve stability and reliability. Data of the validation cohort were collected from the eICU database, and logistic-regression analyses were performed to verify the findings of the training cohort.

Results

A total of 1,324 subjects were included in the training cohort. A linear correlation existed between INR and the risk of all-cause death of post-CA patients, as shown in RCS analysis, with a hazard ratio (HR) >1 when INR exceeded 1.2. K-M survival curve preliminarily indicated that subjects with INR ≥ 1.2 presented lower survival rate and shorter survival time, and the high level of INR was independently associated with 30-day, 90-day, 1-year, and in-hospital mortalities, with multivariate-adjusted HR of 1.44 (1.20, 1.73), 1.46 (1.23, 1.74), 1.44 (1.23, 1.69), and 1.37 (1.14, 1.64), respectively. These findings were consistent and robust across the subgroup analysis, PSM and IPTW analyses, and validation cohort.

Conclusions

We systematically and comprehensively demonstrated that elevated INR was associated with increased short- and long-term all-cause mortality of post-CA patients. Therefore, elevated INR may be a promising biomarker with prognosis significance.

SHock-INduced Endotheliopathy (SHINE): A mechanistic justification for viscoelastography-guided resuscitation of traumatic and non-traumatic shock

Irrespective of the reason for hypoperfusion, hypocoagulable and/or hyperfibrinolytic hemostatic aberrancies afflict up to one-quarter of critically ill patients in shock. Intensivists and traumatologists have embraced the concept of SHock-INduced Endotheliopathy (SHINE) as a foundational derangement in progressive shock wherein sympatho-adrenal activation may cause systemic endothelial injury. The pro-thrombotic endothelium lends to micro-thrombosis, enacting a cycle of worsening perfusion and increasing catecholamines, endothelial injury, de-endothelialization, and multiple organ failure. The hypocoagulable/hyperfibrinolytic hemostatic phenotype is thought to be driven by endothelial release of anti-thrombogenic mediators to the bloodstream and perivascular sympathetic nerve release of tissue plasminogen activator directly into the microvasculature. In the shock state, this hemostatic phenotype may be a counterbalancing, yet maladaptive, attempt to restore blood flow against a systemically pro-thrombotic endothelium and increased blood viscosity. We therefore review endothelial physiology with emphasis on glycocalyx function, unique biomarkers, and coagulofibrinolytic mediators, setting the stage for understanding the pathophysiology and hemostatic phenotypes of SHINE in various etiologies of shock. We propose that the hyperfibrinolytic phenotype is exemplified in progressive shock whether related to trauma-induced coagulopathy, sepsis-induced coagulopathy, or post-cardiac arrest syndrome-associated coagulopathy. Regardless of the initial insult, SHINE appears to be a catecholamine-driven entity which early in the disease course may manifest as hyper- or hypocoagulopathic and hyper- or hypofibrinolytic hemostatic imbalance. Moreover, these hemostatic derangements may rapidly evolve along the thrombohemorrhagic spectrum depending on the etiology, timing, and methods of resuscitation. Given the intricate hemochemical makeup and changes during these shock states, macroscopic whole blood tests of coagulative kinetics and clot strength serve as clinically useful and simple means for hemostasis phenotyping. We suggest that viscoelastic hemostatic assays such as thromboelastography (TEG) and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) are currently the most applicable clinical tools for assaying global hemostatic function-including fibrinolysis-to enable dynamic resuscitation with blood products and hemostatic adjuncts for those patients with thrombotic and/or hemorrhagic complications in shock states.

Early coagulopathy after pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial

Background

To estimate the incidence, risk factors, and impact on mortality and functional outcomes for early coagulopathy after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients.

Methods

A post hoc analysis of the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Out-of-Hospital (THAPCA-OH) trial was conducted. Early coagulopathy was defined as presence of at least one of the following coagulation abnormalities upon admission: international standard ratio (INR), platelets, and age-adjusted activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) within 6 h after OHCA and before therapeutic hypothermia initiation. The outcomes included 28-day mortality and functional prognosis. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore risk factors and association between early coagulopathy and outcomes.

Results

Of the 227 patients included, 152 (67%) were male and the median age was 2.3 years [interquartile range (IQR), 0.7–8.6 years]. The overall 28-day mortality was 63%. The incidence of early coagulopathy was 46%. Lower age, longer duration of chest compression, lower temperature, and higher white blood cell (WBC) upon admission increased the risk of early coagulopathy. Early coagulopathy [OR, 2.20 (95% CI, 1.12–4.39), P = 0.023] was independently associated with 28-day mortality after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions

Early coagulopathy occurred in almost half of pediatric patients with OHCA. Lower age, longer duration of chest compression, lower temperature, and higher WBC increased the risk. The development of early coagulopathy was independently associated with increased mortality.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12959-022-00422-x.

Association of Histones With Coagulofibrinolytic Responses and Organ Dysfunction in Adult Post-cardiac Arrest Syndrome

Background

Patients successfully resuscitated from cardiac arrest often develop organ dysfunction caused by systemic inflammation and increased coagulation, leading to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). The involvement of histones in DIC and organ dysfunction in patients with sepsis and trauma has been previously reported, raising the probability that histones may also be associated with pathophysiology in patients after cardiac arrest and resuscitation. This study evaluated the relationship between histones and organ dysfunction related to coagulofibrinolytic changes in patients with post-cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS).

Methods

This prospective single-center observational study assessed 35 adult patients with PCAS who were divided into two groups, i.e., 15 patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and 20 patients without MODS. MODS was defined as a sequential organ failure assessment score of ≥12. The plasma levels of histones and coagulofibrinolytic markers, including soluble fibrin, tissue-type plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, plasmin-alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC), and soluble thrombomodulin, were measured in patients with PCAS immediately after admission to the emergency department, and 3 and 24 h after arriving at the hospital.

Results

PCAS patients with MODS had higher DIC scores [4 (3.0–5.0) vs. 1 (0.0–3.0), p = 0.012] and higher mortality rates (66.7% vs. 20.0%, p = 0.013) than those without MODS. Moreover, patients with MODS exhibited higher histone levels than those without MODS during the early phase of the post-resuscitation period. Severe endothelial injury and higher thrombin and plasmin generation were observed in the MODS group. Plasma levels of histones were positively correlated with those of soluble fibrin immediately after resuscitation (rho = 0.367, p = 0.030) and PIC 3 h after arriving at the hospital (rho = 0.480, p = 0.005). This correlation was prominent in the patient population with MODS (soluble fibrin: rho = 0.681, p = 0.005, PIC: rho = 0.742, p = 0.002).

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that elevated histone levels were associated with increased levels of thrombin, and subsequent plasmin generation in PCAS patients, especially those with MODS. Further studies are required to elucidate the causal relationship between histones and organ dysfunction related to DIC in PCAS.

Effect of cardioplegic arrest and reperfusion on left and right ventricular proteome/phosphoproteome in patients undergoing surgery for coronary or aortic valve disease

Our earlier work has shown inter‑disease and intra‑disease differences in the cardiac proteome between right (RV) and left (LV) ventricles of patients with aortic valve stenosis (AVS) or coronary artery disease (CAD). Whether disease remodeling also affects acute changes occuring in the proteome during surgical intervention is unknown. This study investigated the effects of cardioplegic arrest on cardiac proteins/phosphoproteins in LV and RV of CAD (n=6) and AVS (n=6) patients undergoing cardiac surgery. LV and RV biopsies were collected during surgery before ischemic cold blood cardioplegic arrest (pre) and 20 min after reperfusion (post). Tissues were snap frozen, proteins extracted, and the extracts were used for proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis using Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) analysis. The results were analysed using QuickGO and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis softwares. For each comparision, our proteomic analysis identified more than 3,000 proteins which could be detected in both the pre and Post samples. Cardioplegic arrest and reperfusion were associated with significant differential expression of 24 (LV) and 120 (RV) proteins in the CAD patients, which were linked to mitochondrial function, inflammation and cardiac contraction. By contrast, AVS patients showed differential expression of only 3 LV proteins and 2 RV proteins, despite a significantly longer duration of ischaemic cardioplegic arrest. The relative expression of 41 phosphoproteins was significantly altered in CAD patients, with 18 phosphoproteins showing altered expression in AVS patients. Inflammatory pathways were implicated in the changes in phosphoprotein expression in both groups. Inter‑disease comparison for the same ventricular chamber at both timepoints revealed differences relating to inflammation and adrenergic and calcium signalling. In conclusion, the present study found that ischemic arrest and reperfusion trigger different changes in the proteomes and phosphoproteomes of LV and RV of CAD and AVS patients undergoing surgery, with markedly more changes in CAD patients despite a significantly shorter ischaemic period.

Hyperglycemia and Thrombocytopenia - Combinatorially Increase the Risk of Mortality in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Background: Patients with cardiogenic shock due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can rapidly undergo veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) therapy to recover cardiac output and decrease mortality. However, the clinical indicators predictive of mortality in these patients remain unknown.

Methods and Results: We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study targeting AMI patients undergoing VA-ECMO. All 63 patients undergoing VA-ECMO for AMI at the Japanese Red Cross Kumamoto Hospital between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2020 were enrolled. An exploratory analysis was conducted using a survival tree model and variables selected in a univariate Cox proportional hazard model. The median survival time from the start of VA-ECMO was 6.3 days, and 77.8% (n=49) of patients died. Survival analysis divided patients into 3 groups based on 2 parameters at the initial medical examination: Group 1, patients with neither hyperglycemia (blood glucose ≥213 mg/dL) nor thrombocytopenia (platelets ≤145,100/μL); Group 2, patients with hyperglycemia; and Group 3, patients with hyperglycemia plus thrombocytopenia. Relative to Group 1, the risk of in-hospital mortality was significantly increased in Group 2 (hazard ratio [HR] 2.25; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13–4.46), and that risk further increased in Group 3 (HR 7.60; 95% CI 3.21–17.95).

Conclusions: Hyperglycemia plus thrombocytopenia on initial medical examination combinatorially increase the risk of mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock due to AMI undergoing VA-ECMO.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation following air embolism during orthotropic liver transplantation: is this just a coincidence?

BACKGROUND

During orthotopic liver transplantation, venous air embolism may occur due to iatrogenic injury of the inferior vena cava. However, venous air embolism followed by coagulopathy is a rare event. In this case report, we discuss a possible connection between venous air embolism and disseminated intravascular coagulation.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 37-year-old male patient with chronic hepatitis B- and C-induced liver cirrhosis was admitted for orthotopic liver transplantation. During the dissection phase of the surgery, arterial blood pressure, heart rate, saturation and end-tidal carbon dioxide levels suddenly decreased, indicating the occurrence of venous air embolism. After stabilizing the patient's condition, various coagulation issues started developing. Venous air embolism-induced coagulopathy was handled by administering transfusions of various blood products. However, the patient's condition continued to deteriorate leading to a complete asystole.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a rare case of venous air embolism-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation. The real connection remains unclear as disseminated intravascular coagulation for end-stage liver disease patients can be induced by various causes during different stages of liver transplantation. Certainly, both venous air embolism and coagulopathy were significant and led to an unfavorable outcome. Further studies are needed to better understand the possible mechanisms and correlation between these two life-threatening complications.

Sublingual microcirculation predicts survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

BACKGROUND

Despite successful resuscitation with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), the prediction of survival in patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains difficult. Several studies have shown alterations in sublingual microcirculation in the critical ill. We hypothesized that early alterations in sublingual microcirculation may predict short-term survival after OHCA.

METHODS

We prospectively included all adults admitted to our university hospital between April and September 2019 with ROSC following OHCA. Sidestream dark-field microscopy to obtain sublingual microcirculation was performed at admission and after 6, 12 and 24 hours. Primary outcome was survival until discharge.

RESULTS

Twenty-five patients were included. Six hours after ROSC, the proportion of perfused small vessels (PPV_small ) was lower in non-survivors than in survivors (85 ± 7.9 vs. 75 ± 6.6%; p = .01). PPV_small did not correlate with serum lactate. Stratification for survival with cutoff values >78.4% for PPV_small 6 h post-admission and <5.15 mmol/l for initial serum lactate as suggested by ROC-Analyses results in a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative one of 67% for our study population.

CONCLUSION

Estimating short-term prognosis of OHCA patients with ROSC may be supported by measuring the PPV_small at the sublingual microcirculation 6 hours after admission.

Coagulopathy Induced by Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Is Associated With a Poor Outcome in Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Background: In recent years, the use of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) in patients with cardiopulmonary arrest who do not respond to conventional resuscitation, has increased. However, despite the development of VA-ECMO, the outcomes of resuscitated patients remain poor. The poor prognosis may be attributed to deterioration owing to the post-cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS); this includes the systemic inflammatory response and coagulation activation caused by the extracorporeal circulation (VA-ECMO circuit) itself. This study aimed to evaluate the coagulofibrinolytic changes caused by VA-ECMO and to identify predictive factors of poor prognosis.

Methods: We analyzed 151 cases of PCAS with witnessed cardiac arrest. As biomarkers, platelet counts, prothrombin time ratio, fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products, fibrinogen, antithrombin, and lactate were recorded from blood samples from the time of delivery to the third day of hospitalization. The maximum (max) and minimum (min) values of each factor during the study period were calculated. To evaluate the impact of VA-ECMO on patients with PCAS, we performed propensity score matching between the patients who received and did not receive VA-ECMO. Sub-analysis was performed for the group with VA-ECMO.

Results: There were significant differences in all baseline characteristics and demographics except the time from detection to hospital arrival, percentage of cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPR) by witnesses, and the initial rhythm between the groups. Propensity score matching adjusted for prehospital factors demonstrated that the patients who received VA-ECMO developed significantly severe coagulation disorders. In a sub-analysis, significant differences were noted in the prothrombin time ratio min, fibrinogen max, antithrombin max, and lactate min between survivors and non-survivors. In particular, the prothrombin time ratio min and antithrombin max were strongly correlated with poor outcome.

Conclusion: In the present study, significant coagulopathy was observed in patients who received VA-ECMO for CPR. In particular, in patients receiving VA-ECMO, the minimum prothrombin time ratio and maximum antithrombin by day 3 of hospitalization were strongly correlated with poor outcomes. These results suggest that VA-ECMO-induced coagulopathy can be a promising therapeutic target for patients resuscitated by VA-ECMO.

Hemostasis, coagulation and thrombin in venoarterial and venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: the HECTIC study

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support has a high incidence of both bleeding and thrombotic complications. Despite clear differences in patient characteristics and pathologies between veno-venous (VV) and veno-arterial (VA) ECMO support, anticoagulation practices are often the same across modalities. Moreover, there is very little data on their respective coagulation profiles and comparisons of thrombin generation in these patients. This study compares the coagulation profile and thrombin generation between patients supported with either VV and VA ECMO. A prospective cohort study of patients undergoing VA and VV ECMO at an Intensive care department of a university hospital and ECMO referral centre. In addition to routine coagulation testing and heparin monitoring per unit protocol, thromboelastography (TEG), multiplate aggregometry (MEA), calibrated automated thrombinography (CAT) and von-Willebrand’s activity (antigen and activity ratio) were sampled second-daily for 1 week, then weekly thereafter. VA patients had significantly lower platelets counts, fibrinogen, anti-thrombin and clot strength with higher d-dimer levels than VV patients, consistent with a more pronounced consumptive coagulopathy. Thrombin generation was higher in VA than VV patients, and the heparin dose required to suppress thrombin generation was lower in VA patients. There were no significant differences in total bleeding or thrombotic event rates between VV and VA patients when adjusted for days on extracorporeal support. VA patients received a lower median daily heparin dose 8500 IU [IQR 2500–24000] versus VV 28,800 IU [IQR 17,300–40,800.00]; < 0.001. Twenty-eight patients (72%) survived to hospital discharge; comprising 53% of VA patients and 77% of VV patients. Significant differences between the coagulation profiles of VA and VV patients exist, and anticoagulation strategies for patients of these modalities should be different. Further research into the development of tailored anticoagulation strategies that include the mode of ECMO support need to be completed.

Association between Novel Marker (Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio, Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Delta Neutrophil Index) and Outcomes in Sudden Cardiac Arrest Patients

Purpose

It is important that clinicians accurately predict the outcome of patients with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The complete blood count (CBC) is an easy and inexpensive test that provides information on blood content. Platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and delta neutrophil index (DNI) are relatively novel biomarkers that have been used in the prognosis of various diseases. We aimed to determine the usefulness of PLR, NLR, and DNI in predicting the outcomes of SCA.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective observational study was performed on patients with SCA. Patients who visited the tertiary university hospital from January 2015 to December 2019 were targeted. The inclusion criteria were all nontraumatic adult out-hospital cardiac arrest patients. We analyzed DNI, PLR, and NLR based on the CBC results of all enrolled patients. The exclusion criteria were as follows: no data on laboratory study, traumatic arrest, age < 18 years, and a history of leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and myelofibrosis. The primary outcome was assessed as return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), the secondary outcome as survival to discharge, and the tertiary outcome as neurological outcome.

Results

From January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019, 739 patients were enrolled. ROSC was seen in 324 patients, of whom 60 had survival to discharge and 24 had good neurological outcome at the time of discharge (cerebral performance categories (CPCs) 1-2). The PLR of the ROSC group was 42.41 (range: 4.21–508.7), which was higher than that of the No-ROSC group (p=0.006). The DNI value of the survival group was 0.00 (range: 0.00–40.9), which was lower than that of the nonsurvival group.

Conclusions

Patients with SCA and subsequent ROSC had higher PLR and NLR, while those with survival to discharge had lower DNI values than those with nonsurvival to discharge (p=0.005).

[Hyperfibrinolysis after Resuscitation due to Acute Pulmonary Artery Embolism]

In an 81-year-old patient, acute hemodynamic instability requiring resuscitation occurred during an elective transurethral prostate resection. The procedure was ended prematurely and after ROSC a CT diagnosis was carried out, which confirmed the suspected diagnosis of fulminant pulmonary embolism. Anticoagulant therapy with heparin was initiated. About two hours after admission to the intensive care unit, hemorrhage requiring massive transfusion developed, which according to viscoelastometric diagnostics was most likely due to fulminant hyperfibrinolysis. This case report describes the pathophysiology of so-called post-cardiac arrest coagulopathy and discusses the use of antifibrinolytic therapy in patients with thrombotic complications such as pulmonary artery embolism.

Serial disseminated intravascular coagulation score with neuron specific enolase predicts the mortality of cardiac arrest-a pilot study

Background

Prognosis in cardiac arrest (CA) patients has been challenging. We sought to investigate prognostic value combining serial disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) score and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients.

Methods

Sixty-one consecutive patients successfully resuscitated after CA were included in the analysis. DIC score and NSE levels were serially analyzed after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The outcome measure was death before hospital discharge. Prognostication performance was assessed as the area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve (AUC). Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used for internal validation of predictive models. Calibration curves were drawn to visualize the results of tests.

Results

The NSE levels continued to increase in the first 72 h in non-survivors. In survivors, the NSE levels decreased after 48 h. Both DIC score at 48 h and NSE level at 48 h were good predictors of outcome. The AUC for predictive mortality in OHCA patients was 0.869 (95% CI, 0.781-0.956) for DIC score at 48 h combining NSE at 24 h, 0.878 (95% CI, 0.791-0.965) for DIC score at 48 h combining NSE at 48 h and 0.882 (95% CI, 0.792-0.972) for DIC score at 48 h combining NSE at 72 h, respectively. Significance of Hosmer-Lemeshow test was 0.488, 0.324, 0.011 for each combination.

Conclusions

Serial DIC score combined with measurement of NSE levels is a useful and accessible tool for prognostication following OHCA.

Prognostic value of repeated thromboelastography measurement for favorable neurologic outcome during targeted temperature management in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors

BACKGROUND

Cardiac arrest can activate blood coagulation, which clinically manifests as obstruction of the microcirculation and multiple organ dysfunction. Thromboelastography (TEG) provides a rapid and comprehensive assessment of hemostatic processes, but there are limited data on the use of sequential TEG values during targeted temperature management (TTM) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of coagulopathy assessed by repeated TEG to predict neurologically intact survival.

METHODS

A prospective cohort of consecutive non-trauma OHCA patients who were successfully resuscitated and treated with TTM. Patients with a target temperature of 36 ℃, no TEG data, and who declined appropriate treatment were excluded. TEG was measured at three time points of TTM (initial phase, target phase, and rewarming phase). The primary outcome was 28 day favorable neurologic function, defined as a Cerebral Performance Category of 1 or 2.

RESULTS

A total of 125 patients (mean age, 61 years; 63.2% male) were analyzed. A favorable neurologic outcome at 28 days was seen in 40 patients (32.0%). TEG values of R and LY30 in the initial phase were significantly lower in the favorable neurologic outcome group than in the unfavorable group (5.8 vs. 8.1 and 0.1 vs. 0.7, respectively; p < 0.01). TEG values of R < 5 or LY30 < 7.5 in the initial phase were more frequently seen in the favorable outcomes group than in the unfavorable group (37.5% vs. 12.9%, p = 0.002 and 95.0% vs. 72.9%, p = 0.004, respectively). However, no significant differences were seen between the two groups in other TEG values (R, K, alpha, and MA) in the target and rewarming phases (p > 0.05 for all). Univariate analysis showed higher D-dimer levels, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time in the unfavorable outcome group. In the multivariable analysis, TEG values of combination of R < 5 and LY30 < 7.5 in the initial phase were the only coagulation profiles seen to be independently associated with favorable neurologic outcome (OR, 4.508, 95% CI, 1.254-16.210).

CONCLUSION

TEG results are available within minutes, and shorted R values or the absence of prolonged LY30 values in the initial phase are an early predictor of neurologically intact survival in successfully resuscitated OHCA patients.

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors: A Novel Strategy for Neuroprotection and Cardioprotection Following Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Ischemia/reperfusion injury is a complex molecular cascade that causes deleterious cellular damage and organ dysfunction. Stroke, sudden cardiac arrest, and acute myocardial infarction are the most common causes of ischemia/reperfusion injury without effective pharmacologic therapies. Existing preclinical evidence suggests that histone deacetylase inhibitors may be an efficacious, affordable, and clinically feasible therapy that can improve neurologic and cardiac outcomes following ischemia/reperfusion injury. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology and epigenetic modulations of ischemia/reperfusion injury and focus on the neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors. We also summarize the protective effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors for other vital organs and highlight the key research priorities for their successful translation to the bedside.

Endovascular Cooling Catheter-Related Thrombosis After Targeted Temperature Management for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Case Report

Endovascular cooling catheter-related thrombosis is an under-recognized clinical complication of targeted temperature management (TTM), which is widely used in the treatment of comatose out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors. A 16-year-old boy, who survived an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, underwent TTM with an endovascular cooling system. A target temperature of 34°C was maintained for 24 hours, followed by rewarming at a rate of 0.5°C/12 hours. On day 5, his body temperature rose sharply after the removal of the endovascular cooling catheter. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Tomography investigations also revealed a marked abnormality in the liver function. On day 7, a large thrombus extending through the right iliac vein and into the inferior vena cava (IVC) was detected. Owing to bacteremia, the IVC filter placement was not indicated, and the thrombus disappeared after intravenous administration of heparin and antithrombin. In addition to the potential risk of catheter-related thrombosis and hypercoagulability in the postcardiac arrest state, acute liver injury and an infective state may contribute to thrombosis.

Monoacylglycerol Lipase Inactivation by Using URB602 Mitigates Myocardial Damage in a Rat Model of Cardiac Arrest

OBJECTIVES

Monoacylglycerol lipase participates in organ protection by regulating the hydrolysis of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol. This study investigated whether blocking monoacylglycerol lipase protects against postresuscitation myocardial injury and improves survival in a rat model of cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

DESIGN

Prospective randomized laboratory study.

SETTING

University research laboratory.

SUBJECTS

Male Sprague-Dawley rat (n = 96).

INTERVENTIONS

Rats underwent 8-minute asphyxia-based cardiac arrest and resuscitation. Surviving rats were randomly divided into cardiopulmonary resuscitation + URB602 group, cardiopulmonary resuscitation group, and sham group. One minute after successful resuscitation, rats in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation + URB602 group received a single dose of URB602 (5 mg/kg), a small-molecule monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor, whereas rats in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation group received an equivalent volume of vehicle solution. The sham rats underwent all of the procedures performed on rats in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation + URB602 groups minus cardiac arrest and asphyxia.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Survival was recorded 168 hours after the return of spontaneous circulation (n = 22 in each group). Compared with vehicle treatment (31.8%), URB602 treatment markedly improved survival (63.6%) 168 hours after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Next, we used additional surviving rats to evaluate myocardial and mitochondrial injury 6 hours after return of spontaneous circulation, and we found that URB602 significantly reduced myocardial injury and prevented myocardial mitochondrial damage. In addition, URB602 attenuated the dysregulation of endocannabinoid and eicosanoid metabolism 6 hours after return of spontaneous circulation and prevented the acceleration of mitochondrial permeability transition 15 minutes after return of spontaneous circulation.

CONCLUSIONS

Monoacylglycerol lipase blockade may reduce myocardial and mitochondrial injury and significantly improve the resuscitation effect after cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Increased Citrullinated Histone H3 Levels in the Early Post-Resuscitative Period Are Associated with Poor Neurologic Function in Cardiac Arrest Survivors-A Prospective Observational Study

The exact contribution of neutrophils to post-resuscitative brain damage is unknown. We aimed to investigate whether neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation in the early phase after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) may be associated with poor 30 day neurologic function in cardiac arrest survivors. This study prospectively included adult (≥18 years) out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors with cardiac origin, who were subjected to targeted temperature management. Plasma levels of specific (citrullinated histone H3, H3Cit) and putative (cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and nucleosomes) biomarkers of NET formation were assessed at 0 and 12 h after admission. The primary outcome was neurologic function on day 30 after admission, which was assessed using the five-point cerebral performance category (CPC) score, classifying patients into good (CPC 1–2) or poor (CPC 3–5) neurologic function. The main variable of interest was the effect of H3Cit level quintiles at 12 h on 30 day neurologic function, assessed by logistic regression. The first quintile was used as a baseline reference. Results are given as crude odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Sixty-two patients (79% male, median age: 57 years) were enrolled. The odds of poor neurologic function increased linearly, with 0 h levels of cfNDA (crude OR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2–2.7, p = 0.007) and nucleosomes (crude OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0–2.2, p = 0.049), as well as with 12 h levels of cfDNA (crude OR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1–2.4, p = 0.024), nucleosomes (crude OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1–2.5, p = 0.020), and H3Cit (crude OR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1–2.3, p = 0.029). Patients in the fourth (7.9, 95% CI: 1.1–56, p = 0.039) and fifth (9.0, 95% CI: 1.3–63, p = 0.027) H3Cit quintile had significantly higher odds of poor 30 day neurologic function compared to patients in the first quintile. Increased plasma levels of H3Cit, 12 h after admission, are associated with poor 30 day neurologic function in adult OHCA survivors, which may suggest a contribution of NET formation to post-resuscitative brain damage and therefore provide a therapeutic target in the future.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation in cardiac arrest and resuscitation

The aims of this review are to demonstrate that the changes in coagulation and fibrinolysis observed in cardiac arrest and resuscitation can be recognized as disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and to discuss the probability of DIC being a therapeutic target. The appearance of triggers of DIC, such as damage-associated molecular patterns, inflammatory cytokines, and adrenaline, is associated with platelet activation, marked thrombin generation and fibrin formation, insufficient anticoagulation pathways, and increased fibrinolysis by tissue-type plasminogen activator, followed by the suppression of fibrinolysis by plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, in patients with cardiac arrest and resuscitation. Simultaneous neutrophil activation and endothelial injury associated with glycocalyx perturbation have been observed in these patients. The degree of these changes is more severe in patients with prolonged precardiac arrest hypoxia and long no-flow and low-flow times, patients without return of spontaneous circulation, and non-survivors. Animal and clinical studies have confirmed decreased cerebral blood flow and microvascular fibrin thrombosis in vital organs, including the brain. The clinical diagnosis of DIC in patients with cardiac arrest and resuscitation is associated with multiple organ dysfunction, as assessed with the sequential organ failure assessment score, and increased mortality. This review confirms that the coagulofibrinolytic changes in cardiac arrest and resuscitation meet the definition of DIC proposed by the ISTH, and that DIC is associated with organ dysfunction and poor patient outcomes. This evidence implies that established DIC should be considered to be one of the main therapeutic targets in post-cardiac arrest syndrome.

Prolonged Successful Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation with Thrombolysis in a Patient with Acute Coronary Syndrome

A case of successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation lasting 120 min with a good neurological outcome in a patient with acute coronary syndrome is presented. The protocol of resuscitation with the use of thrombolysis (recombinant non-immunogenic staphylokinase) followed by stenting of the infarct-dependent artery in a patient with acute coronary syndrome is described on the example of this case.

Optimizing transfusion strategies in damage control resuscitation: current insights

From clinical and laboratory studies of specific coagulation defects induced by injury, damage control resuscitation (DCR) emerged as the most effective management strategy for hemorrhagic shock. DCR of the trauma patient who has sustained massive blood loss consists of 1) hemorrhage control; 2) permissive hypotension; and 3) the prevention and correction of trauma-induced coagulopathies, referred to collectively here as acute coagulopathy of trauma (ACOT). Trauma patients with ACOT have higher transfusion requirements, may eventually require massive transfusion, and are at higher risk of exsanguinating. Distinct impairments in the hemostatic system associated with trauma include acquired quantitative and qualitative platelet defects, hypocoagulable and hypercoagulable states, and dysregulation of the fibrinolytic system giving rise to hyperfibrinolysis or a phenomenon referred to as fibrinolytic shutdown. Furthermore, ACOT is a component of a systemic host defense dysregulation syndrome that bears several phenotypic features comparable with other acute systemic physiological insults such as sepsis, myocardial infarction, and postcardiac arrest syndrome. Progress in the science of resuscitation has been continuing at an accelerated rate, and clinicians who manage catastrophic blood loss may be incompletely informed of important advances that pertain to DCR. Therefore, we review recent findings that further characterize the pathophysiology of ACOT and describe the application of this new information to optimization of resuscitation strategies for the patient in hemorrhagic shock.