Abstract 210: Norepinephrine Versus Epinephrine For Post-Cardiac Arrest Shock In The Prehospital Setting: A Retrospective Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Shock after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is common and often treated with vasopressors. Compared with norepinephrine (NOR), infusion of epinephrine (EPI) is associated with higher mortality and morbidity among hospitalized patients; but the optimal prehospital approach is unknown. We sought to examine whether infusion of EPI versus NOR is associated with neurologically-intact survival among OHCA patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included transported OHCA cases in Seattle, WA from 2014-2021 who received advanced life support. Our primary exposure was infusion of EPI or NOR. Our primary outcome was neurologically-favorable survival (Cerebral Performance Category score of 1 or 2) to hospital discharge. Key secondary outcomes were prehospital rearrest, survival to hospital admission, and hospital mortality. We conducted multivariable logistic regression adjusting for baseline patient and OHCA characteristics. Results: Of 1784 OHCA patients, 263 (15%) received NOR and 201 (11%) received EPI infusions, 18 received both, and 1298 received neither. Those who received EPI were older (median 65 [IQR 52-78] vs 62 [IQR 47-75] years), but otherwise had similar baseline characteristics, including initial arrest rhythm (Table 1). Patients who received EPI were over twice as likely to have rearrested in the prehospital setting (53% vs 24%). After adjustment, there was no difference in neurologically-favorable survival (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.47-1.78). We found no difference in survival to hospital admission or discharge. Conclusion: Neurologically-favorable survival was similar among patients who received NOR or EPI infusions for post-OHCA shock, though patients who received EPI had prehospital rearrests more often. Future trials should examine the optimal approach to hemodynamic management for post-OHCA shock.