Abstract
Background
Survival rates in refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remain low with conventional advanced cardiac life support (ACLS). Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) ...implantation during ongoing resuscitation, a method called extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), may increase survival. This study examined whether ECPR is associated with improved outcomes.
Methods
Prague OHCA trial enrolled adults with a witnessed refractory OHCA of presumed cardiac origin. In this secondary analysis, the effect of ECPR on 180-day survival using Kaplan–Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazard model was examined.
Results
Among 256 patients (median age 58 years, 83% male) with median duration of resuscitation 52.5 min (36.5–68), 83 (32%) patients achieved prehospital ROSC during ongoing conventional ACLS prehospitally, 81 (32%) patients did not achieve prehospital ROSC with prolonged conventional ACLS, and 92 (36%) patients did not achieve prehospital ROSC and received ECPR. The overall 180-day survival was 51/83 (61.5%) in patients with prehospital ROSC, 1/81 (1.2%) in patients without prehospital ROSC treated with conventional ACLS and 22/92 (23.9%) in patients without prehospital ROSC treated with ECPR (log-rank
p
< 0.001). After adjustment for covariates (age, sex, initial rhythm, prehospital ROSC status, time of emergency medical service arrival, resuscitation time, place of cardiac arrest, percutaneous coronary intervention status), ECPR was associated with a lower risk of 180-day death (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.14–0.31;
P
< 0.001).
Conclusions
In this secondary analysis of the randomized refractory OHCA trial, ECPR was associated with improved 180-day survival in patients without prehospital ROSC.
Trial registration
: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01511666, Registered 19 January 2012.
Background: The impact of serial imaging on the outcome of ICU patients has not been studied specifically in patients with high illness severity. Methods: The authors sought a relationship between ...the numbers of antero-posterior supine chest X-rays (CXR), computed tomography (CT) examinations, and outcome in a cohort of 292 patients with severe COVID-19 ARDS collected over 24 months in a high-volume ECMO center with established ultrasound and echocardiographic diagnostics. Of the patients, 172 (59%) were obese or morbidly obese, and 119 (41%) were treated with ECMO. Results: The median number of CXRs was eight per 14 days of the length of stay in the ICU. The CXR rate was not related to ICU survival (p = 0.37). Patients required CT scanning in 26.5% of cases, with no relationship to the outcome except for the better ICU survival of the ECMO patients without a need for a CT scan (p = 0.01). The odds ratio for survival associated with ordering a CT scan in an ECMO patient was 0.48, p = 0.01. The calculated savings for not routinely requesting a whole-body CT scan in every patient were 98.685 EUR/24 months. Conclusions: Serial imaging does not impact the survival rates of patients with severe ARDS. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients who did not need CT scanning had significantly better ICU outcomes.
, group A streptococci (GAS) bacteriaemia, is a life-threatening infection with high mortality, requiring fast diagnosis together with the use of appropriate antibiotic therapy as soon as possible. ...Our study analysed data from 93 patients with GAS bacteraemia at the General University Hospital in Prague between January 2006 and March 2024. In the years 2016-2019 there was an increase in GAS bacteraemia. Mortality in the period 2006-2019 was 21.9%; in the period 2020-2024, the mortality increased to 41.4%,
= 0.08. At the same time, in the post-2020 period, the time from hospital admission to death was reduced from 9.5 days to 3 days. A significant predictor of worse outcome in this period was high levels of procalcitonin, >35.1 µg/L (100% sensitivity and 82.35% specificity), and lactate, >5 mmol/L (90.91% sensitivity and 91.67% specificity). Myoglobin was a significant predictor in both compared periods, the AUC was 0.771,
= 0.044, and the AUC was an even 0.889,
≤ 0.001, respectively. All isolates of
were susceptible to penicillin, and resistance to clindamycin was 20.3% from 2006-2019 and 10.3% in 2020-2024. Appropriate therapy was initiated in 89.1%. and 96.6%, respectively. We hypothesise that the increase in mortality after 2020 might be due to a decrease in the immune status of the population.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used in cardiac arrest (CA). Adequacy of carotid and coronary blood flows (CaBF, CoBF) and coronary perfusion pressure (CoPP) in ECMO ...treated CA is not well established. This study compares femoro-femoral (FF) to femoro-subclavian (FS) ECMO and intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) contribution based on CaBF, CoBF, CoPP, myocardial and brain oxygenation in experimental CA managed by ECMO.
In 11 female pigs (50.3 ± 3.4 kg), CA was randomly treated by FF versus FS ECMO ± IABP. Animals under general anesthesia had undergone 15 minutes of ventricular fibrillation (VF) with ECMO flow of 5 to 10 mL/kg/min simulating low-flow CA followed by continued VF with ECMO flow of 100 mL/kg/min. CaBF and CoBF were measured by a Doppler flow wire, cerebral and peripheral oxygenation by near infrared spectroscopy. CoPP, myocardial oxygen metabolism and resuscitability were determined.
CaBF reached values > 80% of baseline in all regimens. CoBF > 80% was reached only by the FF ECMO, 90.0% (66.1, 98.6). Addition of IABP to FF ECMO decreased CoBF to 60.7% (55.1, 86.2) of baseline, P = 0.004. FS ECMO produced 70.0% (49.1, 113.2) of baseline CoBF, significantly lower than FF, P = 0.039. Addition of IABP to FS did not change the CoBF; however, it provided significantly higher flow, 76.7% (71.9, 111.2) of baseline, compared to FF + IABP, P = 0.026. Both brain and peripheral regional oxygen saturations decreased after induction of CA to 23% (15.0, 32.3) and 34% (23.5, 34.0), respectively, and normalized after ECMO institution. For brain saturations, all regimens reached values exceeding 80% of baseline, none of the comparisons between respective treatment approaches differed significantly. After a decline to 15 mmHg (9.5, 20.8) during CA, CoPP gradually rose with time to 68 mmHg (43.3, 84.0), P = 0 .003, with best recovery on FF ECMO. Resuscitability of the animals was high, both 5 and 60 minutes return of spontaneous circulation occured in eight animals (73%).
In a pig model of CA, both FF and FS ECMO assure adequate brain perfusion and oxygenation. FF ECMO offers better CoBF than FS ECMO. Addition of IABP to FF ECMO worsens CoBF. FF ECMO, more than FS ECMO, increases CoPP over time.
Introduction:
Relationship between regional tissue oxygenation (rSO2) and microcirculatory changes during cardiac arrest (CA) are still unclear. Therefore, we designed an experimental study to ...correlate rSO2, microcirculation and systemic hemodynamic parameters in a porcine model of CA.
Methods:
Ventricular fibrillation was induced in 24 female pigs (50±3kg) and left for three minutes untreated followed by five minutes of mechanical CPR. Regional and peripheral saturations were assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy, sublingual microcirculation by Sidestream Dark Field technology and continuous hemodynamic parameters, including systemic blood pressure (MAP) and carotid blood flow (CF), during baseline, CA and CPR periods. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, the Friedman test and the partial correlation method were used to compare these parameters.
Results:
Brain and peripheral rSO2 showed a gradual decrease during CA and only an increase of brain rSO2 during mechanical CPR (34.5 to 42.5; p=0.0001), reflected by a rapid decrease of microcirculatory and hemodynamic parameters during CA and a slight increase during CPR. Peripheral rSO2 was not changed significantly during CPR (38 to 38.5; p=0.09). We only found a moderate correlation of cerebral/peripheral rSO2 to microcirculatory parameters (PVD: r=0.53/0.46; PPV: r=0.6/0.5 and MFI: r=0.64/0.52) and hemodynamic parameters (MAP: r=0.64/0.71 and CF: 0.71/0.67).
Conclusions:
Our experimental study confirmed that monitoring brain and peripheral rSO2 is an easy-to-use method, well reflecting the hemodynamics during CA. However, only brain rSO2 reflects the CPR efforts and might be used as a potential quality indicator for CPR.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has poor outcome. Whether intra-arrest transport, extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), and immediate invasive assessment and treatment (invasive ...strategy) is beneficial in this setting remains uncertain.
To determine whether an early invasive approach in adults with refractory OHCA improves neurologically favorable survival.
Single-center, randomized clinical trial in Prague, Czech Republic, of adults with a witnessed OHCA of presumed cardiac origin without return of spontaneous circulation. A total of 256 participants, of a planned sample size of 285, were enrolled between March 2013 and October 2020. Patients were observed until death or day 180 (last patient follow-up ended on March 30, 2021).
In the invasive strategy group (n = 124), mechanical compression was initiated, followed by intra-arrest transport to a cardiac center for ECPR and immediate invasive assessment and treatment. Regular advanced cardiac life support was continued on-site in the standard strategy group (n = 132).
The primary outcome was survival with a good neurologic outcome (defined as Cerebral Performance Category CPC 1-2) at 180 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes included neurologic recovery at 30 days (defined as CPC 1-2 at any time within the first 30 days) and cardiac recovery at 30 days (defined as no need for pharmacological or mechanical cardiac support for at least 24 hours).
The trial was stopped at the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring board when prespecified criteria for futility were met. Among 256 patients (median age, 58 years; 44 17% women), 256 (100%) completed the trial. In the main analysis, 39 patients (31.5%) in the invasive strategy group and 29 (22.0%) in the standard strategy group survived to 180 days with good neurologic outcome (odds ratio OR, 1.63 95% CI, 0.93 to 2.85; difference, 9.5% 95% CI, -1.3% to 20.1%; P = .09). At 30 days, neurologic recovery had occurred in 38 patients (30.6%) in the invasive strategy group and in 24 (18.2%) in the standard strategy group (OR, 1.99 95% CI, 1.11 to 3.57; difference, 12.4% 95% CI, 1.9% to 22.7%; P = .02), and cardiac recovery had occurred in 54 (43.5%) and 45 (34.1%) patients, respectively (OR, 1.49 95% CI, 0.91 to 2.47; difference, 9.4% 95% CI, -2.5% to 21%; P = .12). Bleeding occurred more frequently in the invasive strategy vs standard strategy group (31% vs 15%, respectively).
Among patients with refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, the bundle of early intra-arrest transport, ECPR, and invasive assessment and treatment did not significantly improve survival with neurologically favorable outcome at 180 days compared with standard resuscitation. However, the trial was possibly underpowered to detect a clinically relevant difference.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01511666.
It is unclear how invasive resuscitative protocols may impact the time-dependent prognosis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) resuscitations, or the relationship between intra-arrest transport ...and outcomes.
We performed a secondary analysis of the Prague OHCA Study, which randomized refractory OHCAs to “invasive” (intra-arrest transport for possible ECPR initiation) vs. “standard” resuscitation strategies (predominantly performed on-scene). Between groups, we compared outcomes of the initial resuscitation and 180- and 30-day favourable neurological outcomes (CPC 1–2), and within categories based on resuscitation duration (collapse-to-ROSC/ECPR interval). We plotted the dynamic probability of favourable outcomes with increasing durations of unsuccessful resuscitation.
Among invasive and standard groups, respectively: 34/124 (27%) vs. 58/132 (44%) had sustained ROSC (difference −17%, 95%CI −5.0, −28); 38/124 (31%) vs. 24/132 (18%) had 30-day favourable neurological outcomes (difference 12%; 95%CI 2.0, 23); and 39/124 (31%) vs. 29/132 (22%) had 180-day favourable neurological outcomes (difference 9.5%; 95%CI −1.3, 20). For favourable outcome cases: standard group resuscitation durations were right-skewed within the first 60 min; for the invasive group the distribution was bimodal, extending to 77 min. For invasive- and standard-treated cases, the probability of favourable outcomes among those in refractory arrest at 30 min was 28% and 7.6%, respectively; declining to 0% at 77 and 60 min.
In comparison to standard resuscitation, invasive strategy cases had fewer achieve sustained ROSC, however improved overall 30-day favourable neurological outcomes. While standard resuscitation yield was limited to < 60 min, invasive protocols offer a second extended window of potential successful resuscitation.
The prognosis of refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is generally poor. A recent Prague OHCA study has demonstrated that an invasive approach (including extracorporeal cardiopulmonary ...resuscitation, ECPR) is a feasible and effective treatment strategy in refractory OHCA. Here we present a post-hoc analysis of the role of initial rhythm on patient outcomes.
The study enrolled patients who had a witnessed OHCA of presumed cardiac cause without early recovery of spontaneous circulation. The initial rhythm was classified as either a shockable or a non-shockable rhythm. The primary outcome was a composite of 180 day-survival with Cerebral Performance in Category 1 or 2.
256 (median age 58y, 17% females) patients were enrolled. The median (IQR) duration of resuscitation was 52 (33–68) minutes. 156 (61%) and 100 (39%) of patients manifested a shockable and non-shockable rhythm, respectively. The primary outcome was achieved in 63 (40%) patients with a shockable rhythm and in 5 (5%) patients with a non-shockable rhythm (p < 0.001). When patients were analyzed separately based on whether the treatment was invasive (n = 124) or standard (n = 132), the difference in the primary endpoint between shockable and non-shockable initial rhythms remained significant (35/72 (49%) vs 4/52 (8%) in the invasive arm and 28/84 (33%) vs 1/48 (2%) in the standard arm; p < 0.001).
An initial shockable rhythm and treatment with an invasive approach is associated with a reasonable neurologically favorable survival for 180 days despite refractory OHCA. Non-shockable initial rhythms bear a poor prognosis in refractory OHCA even when ECPR is readily available.
The severity of tissue hypoxia is routinely assessed by serum lactate. We aimed to determine whether early lactate levels predict outcomes in refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) treated ...by conventional and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR).
This study is a post-hoc analysis of a randomized Prague OHCA study (NCT01511666) assessing serum lactate levels in refractory OHCA treated by ECPR (the ECPR group) or conventional resuscitation with prehospital achieved return of spontaneous circulation (the ROSC group). Lactate concentrations measured on admission and every 4 hours (h) during the first 24 h were used to determine their relationship with the neurological outcome (the best Cerebral Performance Category score within 180 days post-cardiac arrest).
In the ECPR group (92 patients, median age 58.5 years, 83% male) 26% attained a favorable neurological outcome. In the ROSC group (82 patients, median age 55 years, 83% male) 59% achieved a favorable neurological outcome. In ECPR patients lactate concentrations could discriminate favorable outcome patients, but not consistently in the ROSC group. On admission, serum lactate >14.0 mmol/L for ECPR (specificity 87.5%, sensitivity 54.4%) and >10.8 mmol/L for the ROSC group (specificity 83%, sensitivity 41.2%) predicted an unfavorable outcome.
In refractory OHCA serum lactate concentrations measured anytime during the first 24 h after admission to the hospital were found to correlate with the outcome in patients treated by ECPR but not in patients with prehospital ROSC. A single lactate measurement is not enough for a reliable outcome prediction and cannot be used alone to guide treatment.
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