Setting Of Cardiac Arrest Research Articles

Modeling the Impact of Community First Responders

In community first responder (CFR) systems, traditional emergency service response is augmented by a network of trained volunteers who are dispatched via an app. A central application of such systems is out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), where a very fast response is crucial. For a target performance level, how many volunteers are needed, and from which locations should they be recruited? We model the presence of volunteers throughout a region as a Poisson point process, which permits the computation of the response-time distribution of the first-arriving volunteer. Combining this with known survival-rate functions, we deduce survival probabilities in the cardiac arrest setting. We then use convex optimization to compute a location distribution of volunteers across the region that optimizes either the fraction of incidents with a fast response (a common measure in the industry) or patient survival in the case of OHCA. The optimal location distribution provides a bound on the best possible performance with a given number of volunteers. This can be used to determine whether introducing a CFR system in a new region is worthwhile or can serve as a guide for additional recruitment in existing systems. Effective target areas for recruitment are not always obvious because volunteers recruited from one area may be found in various areas across the city depending on the time of day; we explicitly capture this issue. We demonstrate these methods through an extended case study of Auckland, New Zealand. This paper was accepted by Carri Chan, healthcare management. Funding: This research was financed in part by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) in the form of a Rubicon grant (019.172EN.016) to C. J. Jagtenberg and a Veni grant (VI.Veni.191E.005) to P. L. van den Berg. S. G. Henderson and H. Li were supported in part by National Science Foundation [Grant CMMI-2035086]. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Erasmus University received funding from TKI Dinalog [Grant 2023-1-307TKI]. Some of this work has been executed under the TKI Dinalog [Grant 2023-1-307TKI]. Part of this work was completed during a research visit made possible by a [Distinguished Visitor Award] from the University of Auckland. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.04024 .

Early outcomes of moderate-to-high-risk pediatric congenital cardiac surgery and predictors of extracorporeal circulatory life support requirement.

Cardiopulmonary failure refractory to medical management after moderate-to-high-risk congenital cardiac surgery may necessitate mechanical support with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). On the extreme, ECMO can also be initiated in the setting of cardiac arrest (extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, ECPR) unresponsive to conventional resuscitative measures. This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of patients (n = 510) aged <3 years old who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass with a RACHS-1 score ≥3 between 2011 and 2014. Perioperative factors were reviewed to identify predictors of ECMO initiation and mortality in the operating room (OR) and the intensive care unit (ICU). A total of 510 patients with a mean surgical age of 10.0 ± 13.4 months were included. Among them, 21 (4%) patients received postoperative ECMO-12 were initiated in the OR and 9 in the ICU. ECMO cannulation was associated with cardiopulmonary bypass duration, aortopulmonary shunt, residual severe mitral regurgitation, vaso-inotropic score, and postprocedural lactate (p < 0.001). Of the 32 (6%) total deaths, 7 (22%) were ECMO patients-4 were elective OR cannulations and 3 were ICU ECPR. Prematurity [hazard ratio (HR): 2.61, p < 0.01), Norwood or Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure (HR: 4.29, p < 0.001), postoperative left ventricular dysfunction (HR: 5.10, p = 0.01), residual severe tricuspid regurgitation (HR: 6.06, p < 0.001), and postoperative ECMO (ECPR: HR: 15.42, p < 0.001 vs. elective: HR: 5.26, p = 0.01) were associated with mortality. The two patients who were electively cannulated in the ICU survived. Although uncommon, postoperative ECMO in children after congenital cardiac surgery is associated with high mortality, especially in cases of ECPR. Patients with long cardiopulmonary bypass time, residual cardiac lesions, or increased vaso-inotropic requirement are at higher risk of receiving ECMO. Pre-emptive or early ECMO initiation before deterioration into cardiac arrest may improve survival.

Pharmacokinetics of epinephrine during cardiac arrest: A pilot study

Aim of the studyEpinephrine has been recommended for several decades for the treatment of cardiac arrest. However, although this potent medicament has a documented impact on the return of spontaneous circulation, it does not improve long-term survival. Decreased cerebral blood flow, one of the side effects of epinephrine, indicates that the use of this drug is a two-edged sword. Despite clinical recommendations, no study has investigated epinephrine pharmacokinetics in a setting of cardiac arrest. Therefore, in a pilot setting, we measured the plasma concentrations of epinephrine following a single administration. MethodsNine patients with cardiac arrest were included in our study. A single dose of 1 mg epinephrine was administered into a peripheral vein. Simultaneously, blood samples were withdrawn every minute from the jugular vein to determine the plasma concentration. A mixed effects model was used to estimate the T1/2 following the peak concentration. ResultsOne patient did not achieve a peak concentration during observation and was hence excluded. The remaining eight patients had 26 measurements suitable for modelling. In a stable model, the decline is estimated to be −0.259 [95 % CI (-0.361, −0.157) (p < 0.001)]. This implies a half-time for epinephrine of 2.6 (1.9, 4.4) minutes. ConclusionOur study indicates that elimination of epinephrine during cardiac arrest is prolonged and that repeated doses of epinephrine may lead to increased plasma levels. Further and larger studies are warranted to determine the optimal plasma concentration during resuscitation.Clinical trial registration: NCT03036202.Institutional protocol number: 2016-00189.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Critically Ill Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension Who Undergo Endotracheal Intubation and Mechanical Ventilation.

Background: Patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) who undergo endotracheal intubation have an increased risk of adverse outcomes, but little is known regarding prognostic factors and there is limited evidence to guide management. We sought to define characteristics, prognostic factors, and outcomes of critically ill patients with PH who underwent intubation. Study Design: We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of critically ill patients with group 1, 3 or 4 PH who underwent intubation. Results: Eighty-one patients were included. Patients had a median age of 56 years (interquartile range 44-65) and were predominantly female (n = 53, 65%) and Caucasian (n = 71, 88%). Forty-five (56%) had group 1 PH while 25 (31%) had group 3 PH and 11 (14%) had group 4 PH. Patients were admitted to the hospital for right ventricular failure (n = 21, 25.6%), sepsis (n = 18, 22.2%), and respiratory failure (n = 19, 23.1%). Hypoxemic respiratory failure (n = 54, 66.7%) was the most common indication for intubation. In-hospital mortality was 30.9% and 1-year mortality was 48.2%. All patients (11 of 11, 100%) intubated electively for intensive care unit procedures survived to hospital discharge while only 1 of 6 (16.7%) intubated in the setting of a cardiac arrest survived. After adjusting for right ventricular systolic pressure, pre-intubation PaO2 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97-1.00, P = .02) and postintubation PaO2 (OR = 0.97 per 1mm Hg, 95% CI 0.95 to 0.99, P = .003), pH (OR = 0.49 per 0.1 increase, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.80, P = .005) and PaCO2 (OR = 1.08 per 1mm Hg, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.14, P = .005) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. Results were similar when we excluded patients intubated electively or in the setting of cardiac arrest. Conclusions: Intubation in critically ill patients with PH is associated with significant in-hospital mortality and nearly 50% 1-year mortality. Potentially modifiable factors, such as peri-intubation gas exchange, are associated with an increased risk of death while other demographic and hemodynamic variables are not.

Mild hypoxia as therapy for post-ischemic mitochondrial injury

Introduction: Mitochondrial injury occurs following cellular ischemia in the setting of myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiac arrest (CA). Effective strategies for reducing injury are limited. Hypoxia has shown benefit in reversing mitochondrial mediated neurodegenerative disease but is little studied in the setting of post-ischemic injury and is regarded as potentially harmful. In this study, we investigated the effects of mild hypoxia on global post-ischemic injury following CA. We hypothesized that brief mild hypoxia following CA would improve mitochondrial function resulting in improved cellular metabolism and physiological recovery. Methods and Results: Anesthetized C57BL6 mice underwent brief asystolic CA (12 min) followed bycardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR). One hour following successful CPR, mice were randomized to receive a brief episode (6 hours) of normoxia (21% O2) or hypoxia (10% O2) in an environmental chamber. Post intervention, the mice were returned to room air (21% O2). Mild hypoxia improved cardiac mitochondrial complex 1 respiration in the heart by 28% and ATP-related oxygen consumption by 49% (n=3, P&lt;0.05 vs normoxia, respectively) compared to normoxia treated mice. Hypoxia was further associated with improved glucose oxidation in heart as evidenced by decreases in pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) gene and protein expression (n=4, P&lt;0.05 vs normoxia, respectively) as well as decreases in pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphorylation (n=4, P&lt;0.05, respectively) in heart. Hypoxia decreased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) expression and lactate concentration in heart compared to normoxia treated controls (n=4, P&lt;0.05 vs normoxia, respectively). ROS production in heart by 20% (n=6, P&lt;0.05) was also decreased by mild hypoxia when compared to normoxia post CA. These changes were associated with improved recovery of myocardial function, neurological recovery, and 10-day survival following CA (n=13, P&lt;0.05 vs normoxia, respectively). Conclusion: Brief mild hypoxia treatment following global ischemic injury paradoxically improved recovery of myocardial mitochondrial respiration and metabolism and was associated with improved physiological recovery and survival. Post-ischemia hypoxia is a potential therapeutic strategy for mitochondrial ischemic injury and requires further study. No financial disclosures. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A primer for pharmacists.

To describe the use of mechanical circulatory support in the setting of cardiac arrest and summarize pharmacists' role in extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). ECPR is increasingly used to reduce morbidity and improve mortality after cardiac arrest. ECPR employs venoarterial ECMO, which provides full circulatory perfusion and gas exchange in both adult and pediatric patients in cardiac arrest. After the emergency medicine team identifies potential candidates for ECPR, the ECMO team is consulted. If deemed a candidate for ECPR by the ECMO team, the patient is cannulated during ongoing standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, perfusionists, pharmacists, and support staff is needed for successful ECPR. Pharmacists play a vital role in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) prior to cannulation. Pharmacists intervene to make pharmacotherapy recommendations during ACLS, prepare medications, and administer medications as allowed by institutional and state regulations. Pharmacists also provide pharmacotherapy support in the selection of anticoagulation agents, ongoing vasopressor administration during ECMO cannulation, and the optimization of medication selection in the peri-ECPR period. With the growing use of ECPR, pharmacists should be aware of their role in medication optimization during ECPR.

Postintubation Sedation Practices Within Multiple Emergency Departments Across a Large Pediatric Health Care Organization.

Children requiring rapid or standard sequence intubation are at risk of experiencing paralysis without adequate sedation when the duration of neuromuscular blockade exceeds the duration of sedation provided by the induction agent. The objective of this study was to evaluate the rate of appropriately timed postintubation sedation (PIS; defined as the administration of PIS before the clinical effects of the induction agent have dissipated) in patients requiring intubation across multiple emergency department/urgent care sites within a large pediatric health care organization. This retrospective cohort study included patients admitted to 1 of 6 affiliated pediatric emergency department or urgent care sites who were intubated with an induction agent and neuromuscular blocker between January 2016 and December 2021. Patients were excluded if they were intubated in the setting of status epilepticus or cardiac arrest. Stepwise logistic regression identified factors associated with appropriately timed PIS. A total of 283 patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age, 8 ± 7.6 years; 56% male). Two hundred thirty-eight patients (83%) received some form of PIS (105 [37%] received appropriately timed PIS and 133 [47%] received delayed PIS), and 45 patients (16%) received no PIS. The median time to receive PIS following administration of the induction agent was 21 minutes (interquartile range, 11-40 minutes). Patients induced with fentanyl were the least likely to receive PIS, whereas patients induced with etomidate were the most likely. However, because of the short duration of etomidate, most patients induced with etomidate failed to receive PIS in a timely manner. Delayed PIS is common and may result in periods of ongoing paralysis without adequate sedation. Emergency department providers and pharmacists must recognize the brevity of some induction agents and provide more timely PIS.

Implementation of a regional extracorporeal membrane oxygenation program for refractory ventricular fibrillation out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

BackgroundeCPR, the modality of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) applied in the setting of cardiac arrest, has emerged as a novel therapy which may improve outcomes in select patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). To date, implementation has been mainly limited to single academic centres. Our objective is to describe the feasibility and challenges with implementation of a regional protocol for eCPR. MethodsThe Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency implemented a regional eCPR protocol in July 2020, which included coordination across multiple EMS provider agencies and hospitals to route patients with refractory ventricular fibrillation (rVF) OHCA to eCPR-capable centres (ECCs). Data were entered on consecutive patients with rVF with suspected cardiac aetiology into a centralized database including time intervals, field and in-hospital care, survival and neurologic outcome. ResultsFrom July 27, 2020 through July 31, 2022, 35 patients (median age 57 years, 6 (17%) female) were routed to ECCs, of whom 11 (31%) received eCPR and 3 (27%) treated with eCPR survived, all of whom had a full neurologic recovery. Challenges encountered during implementation included cost to EMS provider agencies for training, implementation, and purchase of automatic chest compression devices, maintenance of system awareness, hospital administrative support for staffing and equipment for the ECMO program, and interdepartmental coordination at ECCs. ConclusionWe describe the successful implementation of a regional eCPR program with ongoing patient enrolment and data collection. These preliminary findings can serve as a model for other EMS systems who seek to implement regional eCPR programs.

Cardiac arrest from carbon monoxide poisoning with patient surviving with neurologic deficits

Carbon monoxide (CO) and cyanide poisoning are frequent causes of morbidity and mortality in cases of house and industrial fires. The 14th edition of guidelines from the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society does not recommend hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) treatment in those patients who have suffered a cardiac arrest and had to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation [1]. In this paper we describe a case of a 31-year-old patient who received HBO2 treatment in the setting of cardiac arrest and survived.

Current utilization of interosseous access in pediatrics: a population-based analysis using an EHR database, TriNetX

BackgroundWhen central or peripheral intravenous access cannot be achieved in a timely manner, intraosseous (IO) access is recommended as a safe and equally effective alternative for pediatric resuscitation. IO usage and its complications in the pediatric population have been primarily studied in the setting of cardiac arrest. However, population-based studies identifying noncardiac indications and complications associated with different age groups are sparse.ResultsThis was a retrospective observational cohort study utilizing the TriNetX® electronic health record data. Thirty-seven hospitals were included in the data set with 1012 patients where an IO procedure code was reported in the emergency department or inpatient setting. The cohort was split into two groups, pediatric subjects < 1 year of age and those ≥ 1 year of age. A total incidence of IO line placement of 18 per 100,000 pediatric encounters was reported. Total mortality was 31.8%, with a higher rate of mortality seen in subjects < 1 year of age (39.2% vs 29.0%; p = 0.0028). A diagnosis of cardiac arrest was more frequent in subjects < 1 year of age (51.5% vs 38.0%; p = 0.002), and a diagnosis of convulsions was more frequent in those ≥ 1 of age (28.0% vs 13.8%; p <0.01). Overall, 29 (2.9%) subjects had at least one complication.ConclusionsMore IOs were placed in subjects ≥ 1 year of age, and a higher rate of mortality was seen in subjects < 1 year of age. Lower frequencies of noncardiac diagnoses at the time of IO placement were found in both groups, highlighting IO may be underutilized in noncardiac settings such as convulsions, shock, and respiratory failure. Given the low rate of complications seen in both groups of our study, IO use should be considered early on for urgent vascular access, especially for children less than 1 year of age.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in adults and children: A review of literature, published guidelines and pediatric single-center program building experience.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is an adjunct supportive therapy to conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CCPR) employing veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) in the setting of refractory cardiac arrest. Its use has seen a significant increase in the past decade, providing hope for good functional recovery to patients with cardiac arrest refractory to conventional resuscitation maneuvers. This review paper aims to summarize key findings from the ECPR literature available to date as well as the recommendations for ECPR set forth by leading national and international resuscitation societies. Additionally, we describe the successful pediatric ECPR program at Texas Children's Hospital, highlighting the logistical, technical and educational features of the program.

Abstract 247: Chest Tube Insertion, Needle Thoracostomy, And Pericardiocentesis During In-hospital Cardiac Arrest

Introduction: Some causes of cardiac arrest, e.g. cardiac tamponade or tension pneumothorax, can only be reversed by an emergent invasive procedure; identification and treatment of these causes is critical during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The use of emergent procedural interventions has not been comprehensively studied in the setting of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). Methods: Using the American Heart Association sponsored Get With The Guidelines ® -Resuscitation registry, we examined adult patients who received an invasive procedure (chest tube insertion (CTI), needle thoracostomy (NT), and/or pericardiocentesis (PC)) during IHCA between 2001 and 2020. Groups were compared using Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and t-test or rank-sum for continuous variables. Outcomes were compared using multivariate hierarchical modeling accounting for clustering by hospital. Results: Of the 482,972 patients with IHCA, 11,304 (2.34%) had a procedure performed (1.24% CTI, 0.46% NT, 0.63% PC). PEA was a more likely initial rhythm in those who received a procedure compared to those who had no procedure (58.2% vs 47.8%, p&lt;0.01), and VT or VF was less likely (8.8% vs 16.9%, p&lt;0.01). Peri-arrest myocardial infarction was more likely in those who received PC compared to no procedure (21.7% vs 15.0%, p&lt;0.01). Those who received CTI or NT were more likely to be on a ventilator than those with no procedure (67.9% vs 49.7%, p&lt;0.01). The mean duration of resuscitation was longer for those with CTI, NT, and PC (29.0 min, 29.0 min, and 33.6 min) than for those who had no procedure (18.6 min, p&lt;0.01). Patients who received CTI, NT, and PC had 7%, 20%, and 27% lower odds of ROSC respectively than patients who had no procedure (aOR 0.93, 95%CI 0.91 - 0.95, p&lt;0.01; aOR 0.80, 95%CI 0.78 - 0.82, p&lt;0.01; aOR 0.73, 95%CI 0.71 - 0.74, p&lt;0.01), and 5%, 10%, and 12% lower odds of survival to discharge (aOR 0.95, 95%CI 0.94 - 0.96, p&lt;0.01; aOR 0.90, 95%CI 0.89 - 0.92, p&lt;0.01; aOR 0.88, 95%CI 0.87 - 0.89, p&lt;0.01). Conclusions: We found important differences in patient characteristics and outcomes for those who received invasive procedures compared to those with no procedure. Those who received invasive procedures during IHCA had longer resuscitations but less ROSC and survival to discharge.

Abstract 150: Left-digit Bias In Out-hospital Cardiac Arrest - JCS ReSS

Introduction: Left-digit bias, a cognitive bias, has been linked to medical errors in clinical decision-making. Although the impact of left-digit bias on outcome and behavior has previously been examined in the setting of in-hospital cardiac arrest, that in the setting of our-of-hospital cardiac arrest has not been fully evaluated. In the current study, we investigated the impact of left-digit bias on resuscitators’ behavior during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Methods: The All-Japan Utstein Registry of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency is a nationwide, prospective, population-based OHCA registration system in the Utstein format. We retrospectively included all consecutive OHCA patients within three years below and above the age of 80 witnessed by family members from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2020. The primary endpoints were the percentage of bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR) performed by family members or EMS and the percentage of prehospital physician-staffed advanced cardiac life support (ACLS). We compared the percentages of resuscitation performed by family members, emergency medical services (EMS), and physicians, by using a regression discontinuity methodology to evaluate if there was a dramatic change in the percentage of BCPR and ACLS performed rate at the age threshold of 80 years, which would imply left-digit bias. Results: Of total 1,930,273 cases of OHCA in the All-Japan Utstein registry, we enrolled total of 92,674 (4.8%) patients. The mean age of the population was 80.1 years; 61284 (66.1%) patients were men. There were 37,903 (40.9%) patients between the ages of 77 and 80, and 54,771 (59.1%) patients between the ages of 80 and 83. In this model, we identified no discontinuities in the level (risk difference, -0.50%; 95%CI -1.35% to 0.36%, 0.27%; 95%CI -0.29% to 0.84%, 0.68%; 95%CI -0.29% to 1.66%) for the percentage of BCPR by family members and EMS, and physicians’ ACLS, respectively. Conclusions: In conclusion, our findings did not imply that age-related cognitive bias affected the resuscitators’ behavior during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Potential Candidates for Emergency Department Initiated Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR) in a Canadian Institution.

IntroductionOut-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients experience poor survival. The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a form of heart-lung bypass, in the setting of cardiac arrest, termed extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), has promise in improving survival with good neurologic outcomes. The study objective was to determine the number of potential annual ECPR candidates among the OHCA population in a health region within the Atlantic Canadian province of Nova Scotia.MethodsA retrospective chart review was conducted over a five-year period: January 1st, 2012 to December 31st, 2016. Consecutive non-traumatic OHCA and emergency department (ED) cardiac arrests occurring in a pre-determined catchment area (20-minute transport to ECMO center) defined by a geographic bounding box were identified. Criteria for ECPR were developed to identify candidates for activation of a “Code ECPR”: (1) age 16-70, (2) witnessed arrest, (3) no flow duration (time to CPR, including bystander) <10 minutes, (4) resuscitation >10 minutes without return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), (5) emergency medical service (EMS) transport to hospital <20 minutes, (6) no patient factors precluding ongoing resuscitation (do not resuscitate status (DNR), palliative care involvement, or metastatic cancer), and (7) initial rhythm not asystole. Candidates were stratified by initial rhythm. Candidates were considered ultimately ED ECPR eligible if they failed conventional treatment, defined by death or resuscitation >30 minutes. Clinical data related to candidacy was extracted by an electronic query from prehospital and ED electronic records and manual chart review by three researchers.ResultsOur search yielded 561 cases of EMS-treated OHCA or in-ED arrests. Of those 204/561 (36%; 95% CI 33-40%) met the criteria for activation of a “Code ECPR”. Ultimately 79/204 (34%; 95% CI 28-41%) of those who met activation criteria were considered ED ECPR eligible; which is 14% (95% CI 11-17%) of the total number of arrests-of the total number of arrests, the initial rhythms were pulseless electrical activity (PEA) 33/79 (42%; 95% CI 32-53%) and shockable 46/79 (58%; 95% CI 47-69%).ConclusionOf all cardiac arrests in the area surrounding our ECMO center, approximately 41 per year met the criteria for a Code ECPR activation, with 16 per year ultimately being eligible for ED ECPR. This annual estimate varies based on the inclusion of initial rhythm. This provides insight into both prehospital and hospital implications of an ED ECPR program and will help guide the establishment of a program within our Nova Scotian health region. This study also provides a framework for similar investigation at other institutions contemplating ED ECPR program implementation.

421.2: One Organ Procurement Organization’s 26-Year Experience With Uncontrolled DCD Donation

Introduction: Uncontrolled DCD donation is an underutilized method of procurement in the U.S., with 44% of all uncontrolled DCD donors to date being procured by one of 57 OPOs. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that uncontrolled DCD organ donation can lead to the successful retrieval of transplantable organs and to evaluate kidney and liver transplant outcomes for recipients of organs from uncontrolled DCD donors. Methods: This is a retrospective single OPO, multi-center study. As a standard of practice the OPO routinely pursued uncontrolled DCD donors in the setting of hemodynamic instability and/or sudden cardiac arrest. The aggressive pursuit of these types of donors required the OPO to establish the following: an organizational expectation, training, active AOC oversight, a system to rapidly deploy resources, a communication plan with care-giving team members, and 24-hour organ preservation and surgical recovery support. Donor warm ischemic time was determined by the time from patient arrest to cross-clamp with most donors receiving CPR during that interval. Graft survival was determined by the Kaplan-Meier method. WIT, age, kidney PNF and DGF were further evaluated by donor Maastricht category. Results: Between 1996 and 2021, 334 kidneys, 15 livers, 2 pancreata and 1 lung was transplanted from 262 uncontrolled DCD donors. The mean donor age was 33 years (r = 0.5 – 76, sd=15). The median warm ischemic time was 44 minutes (IQR = 22 - 83). Kidney graft survival was 84% at 6 months, 78% at 1 year and 71% at 3 years. Of the 15 livers transplanted, 9 grafts implanted prior to 2010 failed within 3 months, but all 3 of the grafts implanted in 2021 are functioning at 6 months post-transplant. Two of the liver grafts are functioning at 12 years post-transplant and one is functioning at 19 years post-transplant. The lung graft is functioning at 8 years post-transplant.Conclusions: Uncontrolled DCDs provide acceptable kidney graft survival outcomes and represent a pool of organs that should be pursued for transplantation. OPOs should develop protocols to effectively recover organs from uncontrolled DCDs, particularly in light of promising new advancements in organ preservation.

Overt Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation with Severe Hypofibrinogenemia During Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a life-threatening hematologic derangement characterized by dysregulated thrombin generation and excessive fibrinolysis. However, DIC is poorly characterized in the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) population, and the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Several mechanisms contribute to DIC in ECMO, including consumption of coagulation factors, acquired von Willebrand’s syndrome leading to thrombocytopenia, and hyperfibrinolysis. There are few case reports of DIC in adult ECMO patients. Most are in the context of venoarterial ECMO, which is typically used in the setting of cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest. These disease states themselves are known to be associated with DIC, liver failure, impaired anticoagulant mechanisms, and increased fibrinolysis. We present an unusual case of a 74-year-old man who developed overt DIC during veno-venous (VV) ECMO. DIC resulted in clinical bleeding and severe hypofibrinogenemia requiring massive cryoprecipitate transfusion of 87 pooled units. When the patient was decannulated from ECMO, his platelet count and fibrinogen concentration improved within 24 hours, suggesting that ECMO was a proximate cause of his DIC.

Effects of hyperoxemia on aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

In recent years, hyperoxemia in the intensive care unit has received attention as potentially contributing to negative outcomes in the setting of cardiac arrest, ischemic stroke, and traumatic brain injury. The authors sought to evaluate whether hyperoxemia contributes to worse outcomes in the setting of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and to summarize suggested pathophysiological mechanisms. A systematic literature review was conducted without date restrictions on the PubMed and Web of Science databases on September 15, 2021. All studies that assessed the relationship between patients treated for aSAH and hyperoxemia were eligible independent of the criteria used to define hyperoxemia. All nonclinical studies and studies that did not report outcome data specific to patients with aSAH were excluded. A total of 102 records were found and screened, resulting in assessment of 10 full-text studies, of which 7 met eligibility criteria. Risk of bias was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist. A meta-analysis on the pooled 2602 patients was performed, and forest plots were constructed. Additionally, a review of the literature was performed to summarize available data regarding the pathophysiology of hyperoxemia. The included studies demonstrated an association between hyperoxemia and increased morbidity and mortality following aSAH. The criteria used to determine hyperoxemia varied among studies. Pooling of univariate data showed hyperoxemia to be associated with poor neurological outcome (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.66-3.07; p < 0.001), delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.31-2.78; p < 0.001), and increased incidence of poor neurological outcome or mortality as a combined endpoint (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.87-2.97; p < 0.001). Pooling of multivariable effect sizes showed the same relationship for poor neurological outcome (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.07-1.55; p = 0.01) and poor neurological outcome and mortality as a combined endpoint (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.11-1.23; p < 0.001). Additionally, review of preclinical studies underlined the contribution of oxidative stress due to hyperoxemia to acute secondary brain injury and DCI. Reported outcomes from the available studies have indicated that hyperoxemia is associated with worse neurological outcome, mortality, and DCI. These findings provide a general guideline toward avoiding hyperoxemia in the acute setting of aSAH. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal ventilation and oxygenation parameters for acute management of this patient population.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: is it futile?

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is a treatment modality used to restore end-organ perfusion in the setting of refractory cardiac arrest in patients receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Despite advances in medicine, survival from cardiac arrest remains low with conventional CPR. The body of literature relating to ECPR is limited to retrospective studies and case series, with data that are inconsistent. Routine use of ECPR is not currently endorsed by the American Heart Association. In several single-center retrospective studies, ECPR was associated with a higher level of return of spontaneous circulation and survival to hospital discharge, when compared with conventional CPR. However, data from larger population-based registry studies have not reproduced these findings. Implementation of ECPR is a complex endeavor that requires specialized, multidisciplinary expertise to be successful. ECPR may be considered as an adjunct to CPR in cases of refractory cardiac arrest. The success of ECPR relies on specialized expertise, thoughtful patient selection, and timely initiation.

Impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on survival and neurologic outcomes in adults with in-hospital cardiac arrest.

BackgroundLittle data exists regarding the association of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on outcomes in the setting of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). We sought to assess the impact of COPD on mortality and neurologic outcomes in adults with IHCA.MethodsThe study population included 593 consecutive hospitalized patients with IHCA undergoing ACLS-guided resuscitation at an academic tertiary medical center from 2012–2018. The primary and secondary outcomes of interest were survival to discharge and favorable neurological outcome (defined as a Glasgow Outcome Score of 4–5) respectively.ResultsOf the 593 patients studied, 162 (27.3%) had COPD while 431 (72.7%) did not. Patients with COPD were older, more often female, and had higher Charlson Comorbidity score. Location of cardiac arrest, initial rhythm, duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and rates of defibrillation and return of spontaneous circulation were similar in both groups. Patients with COPD had significantly lower rates of survival to discharge (10.5% vs 21.6%, p = 0.002) and favorable neurologic outcomes (7.4% vs 15.9%, p = 0.007). In multivariable analyses, COPD was independently associated with lower rates of survival to discharge [odds ratio (OR) 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.30–0.98, p = 0.041].ConclusionsIn this contemporary prospective registry of adults with IHCA, COPD was independently associated with significantly lower rates of survival to discharge.

Abstract 13658: Characterization of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Post-Cardiac Arrest Patients

Introduction: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may be precipitated by cardiac arrest, but the incidence and epidemiology of post-arrest ARDS is not well characterized in the in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) setting. This study aimed to describe the incidence of ARDS after IHCA and ARDS-associated IHCA outcomes. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study of adult patients admitted to the hospital between 2017-2018 who suffered IHCA, were resuscitated, and were intubated within 2 hours of arrest. Patients who died or were extubated on the day of resuscitation and those with pre-arrest ARDS were excluded. Post-IHCA ARDS was defined as meeting the Berlin criteria in the first 3 days after the cardiac arrest. Outcomes included hospital length-of-stay and hospital mortality. Results: Of the 105 patients included, 78 (74.3%) developed ARDS within 3 days of arrest. The mean PaO2:FiO2 ratio was 222 (SD 105). Of those with ARDS, most had mild (32%) or moderate (41%) disease. Patients with ARDS had a median hospital and ICU length of stay of 17 (IQR: 8, 31) and 7.5 (IQR: 3, 16) days compared to patients without ARDS, who had a median hospital and ICU length of stay of 10 (IQR: 7, 19) and 5 (IQR: 3, 11) days (p&gt;0.1 for both comparisons). There was a higher use of midazolam in patients with ARDS (18% vs 4%), but this was not statistically significant (p=0.1). Conclusion: There is a high incidence (74%) of post-arrest ARDS in IHCA patients. This compares to recent estimates suggesting a post-arrest ARDS incidence of approximately 50% in the out-of-hospital arrest population. While there was no statistically significant difference in outcomes, this study was limited by a small sample size. Future studies should further investigate these relationships in a larger cohort.