Impact of blood pressure targets on central hemodynamics during intensive care after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate the advanced hemodynamic effects of the two MAP-targets during intensive care on systemic hemodynamics in comatose patients after cardiac arrest. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Primary vasopressor used was per protocol norepinephrine. Hemodynamic monitoring was done with pulmonary artery catheters (PAC) and measurements were made on predefined time points. The primary endpoint of this substudy was the difference in cardiac index within 48 h from a repeated measurements-mixed model. Secondary endpoints included systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), heart rate, and stroke volume index. PATIENTS: Comatose survivors after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. INTERVENTIONS: The "Blood pressure and oxygenations targets after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (BOX)"-trial was a randomized, controlled, double-blinded, multicenter-study comparing targeted mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 63 mmHg (MAP63) vs 77 mmHg (MAP77). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among 789 randomized patients, 730 (93%) patients were included in the hemodynamic substudy. From PAC-insertion (median 1 hours after ICU-admission) and the next 48 hours, the MAP77-group received significantly higher doses of norepinephrine (mean difference 0.09 µg/kg/min, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07-0.11, pgroup < 0.0001). Cardiac index was significantly increased (0.20 L/min/m2 (CI 0.12-0.28), pgroup < 0.0001) as was SVRI with an overall difference of (43 dynes m2/s/cm5 (CI 7-79); pgroup = 0.02). Heart rate was increased in the MAP77-group (4 beats/minute; CI 2-6, pgroup < 0.003), but stroke volume index was not (pgroup = 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Targeted MAP at 77 mmHg compared to 63 mmHg resulted in a higher dose of norepinephrine, increased cardiac index and SVRI. Heart rate was also increased, but stroke volume index was not affected by a higher blood pressure target.

Duration of Device-Based Fever Prevention after Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend active fever prevention for 72 hours after cardiac arrest. Data from randomized clinical trials of this intervention have been lacking. METHODS: We randomly assigned comatose patients who had been resuscitated after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest of presumed cardiac cause to device-based temperature control targeting 36°C for 24 hours followed by targeting of 37°C for either 12 or 48 hours (for total intervention times of 36 and 72 hours, respectively) or until the patient regained consciousness. The primary outcome was a composite of death from any cause or hospital discharge with a Cerebral Performance Category of 3 or 4 (range, 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating more severe disability; a category of 3 or 4 indicates severe cerebral disability or coma) within 90 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes included death from any cause and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score (range, 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive ability) at 3 months. RESULTS: A total of 393 patients were randomly assigned to temperature control for 36 hours, and 396 patients were assigned to temperature control for 72 hours. At 90 days after randomization, a primary end-point event had occurred in 127 of 393 patients (32.3%) in the 36-hour group and in 133 of 396 patients (33.6%) in the 72-hour group (hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.77 to 1.26; P = 0.70) and mortality was 29.5% in the 36-hour group and 30.3% in the 72-hour group. At 3 months, the median Montreal Cognitive Assessment score was 26 (interquartile range, 24 to 29) and 27 (interquartile range, 24 to 28), respectively. There was no significant between-group difference in the incidence of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Active device-based fever prevention for 36 or 72 hours after cardiac arrest did not result in significantly different percentages of patients dying or having severe disability or coma. (Funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation; BOX ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03141099.).

Oxygen Targets in Comatose Survivors of Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND: The appropriate oxygenation target for mechanical ventilation in comatose survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is unknown. METHODS: In this randomized trial with a 2-by-2 factorial design, we randomly assigned comatose adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in a 1:1 ratio to either a restrictive oxygen target of a partial pressure of arterial oxygen (Pao2) of 9 to 10 kPa (68 to 75 mm Hg) or a liberal oxygen target of a Pao2 of 13 to 14 kPa (98 to 105 mm Hg); patients were also assigned to one of two blood-pressure targets (reported separately). The primary outcome was a composite of death from any cause or hospital discharge with severe disability or coma (Cerebral Performance Category [CPC] of 3 or 4; categories range from 1 to 5, with higher values indicating more severe disability), whichever occurred first within 90 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes were neuron-specific enolase levels at 48 hours, death from any cause, the score on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (ranging from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive ability), the score on the modified Rankin scale (ranging from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater disability), and the CPC at 90 days. RESULTS: A total of 789 patients underwent randomization. A primary-outcome event occurred in 126 of 394 patients (32.0%) in the restrictive-target group and in 134 of 395 patients (33.9%) in the liberal-target group (hazard ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.75 to 1.21; P = 0.69). At 90 days, death had occurred in 113 patients (28.7%) in the restrictive-target group and in 123 (31.1%) in the liberal-target group. On the CPC, the median category was 1 in the two groups; on the modified Rankin scale, the median score was 2 in the restrictive-target group and 1 in the liberal-target group; and on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the median score was 27 in the two groups. At 48 hours, the median neuron-specific enolase level was 17 µg per liter in the restrictive-target group and 18 µg per liter in the liberal-target group. The incidence of adverse events was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Targeting of a restrictive or liberal oxygenation strategy in comatose patients after resuscitation for cardiac arrest resulted in a similar incidence of death or severe disability or coma. (Funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation; BOX ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03141099.).

COVID-19 Assessment with Bedside Lung Ultrasound in a Population of Intensive Care Patients Treated with Mechanical Ventilation and ECMO.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for an accessible, point-of-care and accurate imaging modality for pulmonary assessment. COVID-19 pneumonia is mainly monitored with chest X-ray, however, lung ultrasound (LUS) is an emerging tool for pulmonary evaluation. In this study, patients with verified COVID-19 disease hospitalized at the intensive care unit and treated with ventilator and extracorporal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) were evaluated with LUS for pulmonary changes. LUS findings were compared to C-reactive protein (CRP) and ventilator settings. Ten patients were included and scanned the day after initiation of ECMO and thereafter every second day until, if possible, weaned from ECMO. In total 38 scans adding up to 228 cineloops were recorded and analyzed off-line with the use of a constructed LUS score. The study indicated that patients with a trend of lower LUS scores over time were capable of being weaned from ECMO. LUS score was associated to CRP (R = 0.34; p < 0.03) and compliance (R = 0.60; p < 0.0001), with the strongest correlation to compliance. LUS may be used as a primary imaging modality for pulmonary assessment reducing the use of chest X-ray in COVID-19 patients treated with ventilator and ECMO.

Effects of a screening and treatment protocol with haloperidol on post-cardiotomy delirium: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Post-cardiotomy delirium is common and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. No gold standard exists for detecting delirium, and evidence to support the choice of treatment is needed. Haloperidol is widely used for treating delirium, but indication, doses and therapeutic targets vary. Moreover, doubt has been raised regarding overall efficacy. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a combination of early detection and standardized treatment with haloperidol on post-cardiotomy delirium, with the hypothesis that the proportion of delirium- and coma-free days could be increased. Length of stay (LOS), complications and 180-day mortality are reported. METHODS: Prospective interventional cohort study. One hundred and seventeen adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery were included before introduction of a screening and treatment protocol with haloperidol for delirium, and 123 patients were included after. Nurses screened patients using validated tools (the Delirium Observation Screening (DOS) scale and confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit (CAM-ICU)). In case of delirium, a checklist to eliminate precipitating/ inducing factors and a protocol for standardized dosing with haloperidol was applied. Group comparison was done using non-parametric tests and analysis of fractions, and associations between delirium and predefined covariates were analysed with logistic regression. RESULTS: Incidence of delirium after cardiac surgery was 21 (14-29) and 22 (15-30) %, onset was on postoperative day 1 (1-4) and 1 (1-3), duration was 1 (1-4) day and 3 (1-5) days, respectively, with no significant difference (Period 1 vs 2, all values are given as the median and 95% confidence interval). The proportion of delirium- and coma-free days was 67 (61-73) and 65 (60-70) %, respectively (ns). There was no difference in LOS or complication rate. Delirium was associated to increasing age, increased length of stay and complications. CONCLUSIONS: We observed no increase in the proportion of delirium- and coma-free days after introduction of a combination of early detection and standardized treatment with haloperidol on post-cardiotomy delirium. Most patients were not severely affected, and the few who were, proved difficult to treat, indicating that a simple treatment protocol with haloperidol was ineffective.