Safety of inter-facility transport strategies for patients referred for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Inter-facility transport of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in the prone position (PP) is a high-risk situation, compared to other strategies. We aimed to quantify the prevalence of complications during transport in PP, compared to transports with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) or in the supine position (SP). METHODS: We performed a retrospective, single center cohort study in Lyon university hospital, France. We included patients ≥ 16 years with ARDS (Berlin definition) transported to an ARDS referral center between 01/12/2016 and 31/12/2021. We compared patients transported in PP, to those transported in SP without VV-ECMO, and those transported with VV-ECMO (in SP), by a multidisciplinary and specialized medical transport team, including an emergency physician and an intensivist. The primary outcome was the rate of transport-related complications (hypoxemia, hypotension, cardiac arrest, cannula or tube dislodgement) in each study groups, compared using a Fisher test. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-four patients were enrolled (median PaO2/FiO2 70 [58-82] mmHg), of which 11 (8%) were transported in PP, 44 (33%) with VV-ECMO, and 79 (59%) in SP. The most frequent risk factor for ARDS in the PP group was bacterial pneumonitis, and viral pneumonitis in the other 2 groups. Transport-related complications occurred in 36% (n = 4) of transports in PP, compared to 39% (n = 30) in SP and 14% (n = 6) with VV-ECMO, respectively (p = 0.33). VV-ECMO implantation after transport was not different between SP and PP patients (n = 7, 64% vs. n = 31, 39%, p = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: In the context of a specialized multi-disciplinary ARDS transport team, transport-related complication rates were similar between patients transported in PP and SP, while there was a trend of lower rates in patients transported with VV-ECMO.

Impacts of chest compression cycle length and real-time feedback with a CPRmeter® on chest compression quality in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled factorial plan trial.

BACKGROUND: With a survival rate of 6 to 11%, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a healthcare challenge with room for improvement in morbidity and mortality. The guidelines emphasize the highest possible quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and chest compressions (CC). It is essential to minimize CC interruptions, and therefore increase the chest compression fraction (CCF), as this is an independent factor for survival. Survival is significantly and positively correlated with the suitability of CCF targets, CC frequency, CC depth, and brief predefibrillation pause. CC guidance improves adherence to recommendations and allows closer alignment with the CC objectives. The possibility of improving CCF by lengthening the time between two CC relays and the effect of real-time feedback on the quality of the CC must be investigated. METHODS: Using a 2 × 2 factorial design in a multicenter randomized trial, two hypotheses will be tested simultaneously: (i) a 4-min relay rhythm improves the CCF (reducing the no-flow time) compared to the currently recommended 2-min relay rate, and (ii) a guiding tool improves the quality of CC. Primary outcomes (i) CCF and (ii) correct compression score will be recorded by a real-time feedback device. Five hundred adult nontraumatic OHCAs will be included over 2 years. Patients will be randomized in a 1:1:1:1 distribution receiving advanced CPR as follows: 2-min blind, 2 min with guidance, 4-min blind, or 4 min with guidance. Secondary outcomes are the depth, frequency, and release of CC; length (care, no-flow, and low-flow); rate of return of spontaneous circulation; characteristics of advanced CPR; survival at hospital admission; survival and neurological state on days 1 and 30 (or intensive care discharge); and dosage of neuron-specific enolase on days 1 and 3. DISCUSSION: This study will contribute to assessing the impact of real-time feedback on CC quality in practical conditions of OHCA resuscitation. It will also provide insight into the feasibility of extending the relay rhythm between two rescuers from the currently recommended 2 to 4 min. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03817892 . Registered on 28 January 2019.

Effect of Optimal Medical Therapy at Discharge in Patients With Reperfused ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction on 1-Year Mortality (from the Regional RESCUe Registry).

Several classes of medication improve survival in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We sought to assess the frequency and effect of an optimal therapy upon discharge according to current international guidelines on 1-year all-cause mortality in a prospective cohort of reperfused patients with STEMI. Using data from the French Reseau Cardiologie Urgence (RESCUe) Network, we studied all patients with STEMI admitted and discharged alive from hospital between 2009 and 2013. Class I and II level guidelines were used to define the optimal therapy (OT) group. The undertreatment (UT) group comprised patients in whom at least 1 drug with a class I recommendation was missing. Multivariable Cox regression analysis with propensity score for the prescription of OT was used. Of the 5,161 patients discharged alive, 2,991 (58%) had OT. The 1-year overall survival rate was 0.99 in the OT group (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99 to 1.00) versus 0.90 (95% CI 0.88 to 0.92) in the UT group. Patient characteristics in the UT group were worse than those in the OT group. After multivariable adjustment, the association between the OT group and mortality remained significant, with a hazard ratio of 0.12 (95% CI 0.07 to 0.22; p<0.001). Optimal secondary prevention therapy in patients with STEMI discharged alive from hospital remains independently associated with lower 1-year mortality.

Effect of Cyclosporine in Nonshockable Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: The CYRUS Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE: Experimental evidence suggests that cyclosporine prevents postcardiac arrest syndrome by attenuating the systemic ischemia reperfusion response. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether early administration of cyclosporine at the time of resuscitation in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) would prevent multiple organ failure. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A multicenter, single-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted from June 22, 2010, to March 13, 2013 (Cyclosporine A in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation [CYRUS]). Sixteen intensive care units in 7 university-affiliated hospitals and 9 general hospitals in France participated. A total of 6758 patients who experienced nonshockable OHCA (ie, asystole or pulseless electrical activity) were assessed for eligibility. Analyses were performed according to the intention-to-treat analysis. INTERVENTIONS: Patients received an intravenous bolus injection of cyclosporine, 2.5 mg/kg, at the onset of advanced cardiovascular life support (cyclosporine group) or no additional intervention (control group). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary end point was the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, assessed 24 hours after hospital admission, which ranges from 0 to 24 (with higher scores indicating more severe organ failure). Secondary end points included survival at 24 hours, hospital discharge, and favorable neurologic outcome at discharge. RESULTS: Of the 6758 patients screened, 794 were included in intention-to-treat analysis (cyclosporine, 400; control, 394). The median (interquartile range [IQR]) ages were 63.0 (54.0-71.8) years for the cyclosporine group and 66.0 (57.0-74.0) years for the control group. The cohorts included 293 men (73.3%) in the treatment group and 288 men (73.1%) in the control group. At 24 hours after hospital admission, the SOFA score was not significantly different between the cyclosporine (median, 10.0; IQR, 7.0-13.0) and the control (median, 11.0; IQR, 7.0-15.0) groups. Survival was not significantly different between the 98 (24.5%) cyclosporine vs 101 (25.6%) control patients at hospital admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.94; 95% CI, 0.66-1.34), at 24 hours for 67 (16.8%) vs 62 (15.7%) patients (aOR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.71-1.63), and at hospital discharge for 10 (2.5%) vs 5 (1.3%) patients (aOR, 2.00; 95% CI, 0.61-6.52). Favorable neurologic outcome at discharge was comparable between the cyclosporine and control groups: 7 (1.8%) vs 5 (1.3%) patients (aOR, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.39-4.91). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: In patients presenting with nonshockable cardiac rhythm after OHCA, cyclosporine does not prevent early multiple organ failure. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01595958; EudraCT Identifier: 2009-015725-37.

Effect of continuous oxygen insufflation on induced-gastric air volume during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a cadaveric model.

BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study was to compare the volume of gas insufflated in the stomach with continuous external chest compressions plus continuous oxygen insufflation (C-CPR) versus standard-CPR (S-CPR) which alternates external chest compressions and synchronized positive insufflations through a bag-valve-mask with a 30/2 ratio. The secondary objective was to compare upper airway pressures (intratracheal and intramask) generated during continuous oxygen insufflation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Open, prospective, randomized, cross over, comparative, non-inferiority study. CPR was performed for six minutes periods, on seven fresh human corpses, with C-CPR or S-CPR in a random order. Before each CPR period, the stomach was completely emptied through the gastrostomy tube, and then 200 mL of air was injected in the stomach to be sure it was not collapsed. The gastric volume was measured at the end of each intervention. Intratracheal and intramask pressures were recorded continuously during C-CPR. Results were provided as mean ± standard deviation. Statistical analyses were done with a paired student t test. RESULTS: Induced-gastric inflation was lower with C-CPR (221 ± 130 mL) than with S-CPR (5401 ± 2208 mL, p = 0.001). Throughout C-CPR, no difference was found between the intratracheal and intramask pressures (4.4 ± 1.2; 4.0 ± 0.8 cmH2O, respectively, p = 0.45). CONCLUSION: This human cadaver study demonstrates that continuous oxygen insufflation induced less gastric inflation than intermittent insufflation during CPR.

Prehospital high-dose tirofiban in patients undergoing primary percutaneous intervention. The AGIR-2 study.

BACKGROUND: Compared with administration in the catheterization laboratory, early treatment with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors provides benefits to patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who undergo primary percutaneous intervention. Whether this benefit is maintained on top of a 600 mg loading dose of clopidogrel is unknown. METHODS: In a multicentre, controlled, randomized study, 320 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention received a high-dose bolus of tirofiban given either in the ambulance (prehospital group) or in the catheterization laboratory. The primary endpoint was a TIMI flow grade 2-3 of the infarct-related vessel at initial angiography. Secondary endpoints included ST-segment resolution 1h after percutaneous coronary intervention and peak serum troponin I concentration. RESULTS: Tirofiban was administered 48 (95% confidence interval 21.4-75.0) min earlier in the prehospital group. At initial angiography, the combined incidence of TIMI 2-3 flow was 39.7% in the catheterization-laboratory group and 44.2% in the prehospital group (p=0.45). No difference was found on postpercutaneous intervention angiography or peak troponin concentration. Complete ST-segment resolution 60 min after the start of intervention was 55.4% in the catheterization-laboratory group and 52.6% in the prehospital group (p=0.32). CONCLUSION: Prehospital initiation of high-dose bolus tirofiban did not improve significantly initial TIMI 2 or 3 flow of the infarct-related artery or complete ST-segment resolution after coronary intervention compared with initiation of tirofiban in the catheterization laboratory (NCT00538317).

Comparison of primary angioplasty and pre-hospital fibrinolysis in acute myocardial infarction (CAPTIM) trial: a 5-year follow-up.

AIMS: The CAPTIM (Comparison of primary Angioplasty and Pre-hospital fibrinolysis In acute Myocardial infarction) study found no evidence that a strategy of primary angioplasty was superior in terms of 30-day outcomes to a strategy of pre-hospital fibrinolysis with transfer to an interventional facility in patients managed early at the acute phase of an acute myocardial infarction. The present analysis was designed to compare both strategies at 5 years. METHODS AND RESULTS: The CAPTIM study included 840 patients managed in a pre-hospital setting within 6 h of an acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Patients were randomized to either a primary angioplasty (n = 421) or a pre-hospital fibrinolysis (rt-PA) with immediate transfer to a centre with interventional facilities (n = 419). Long-term follow-up was obtained in blinded fashion from 795 patients (94.6%). Using an intent-to-treat analysis, all-cause mortality at 5 years was 9.7% in the pre-hospital fibrinolysis group when compared with 12.6% in the primary angioplasty group [HR 0.75 (95% CI, 0.50-1.14); P = 0.18]. For patients included within 2 h, 5 year mortality was 5.8% in the pre-hospital fibrinolysis group when compared with 11.1% in the primary angioplasty group [HR 0.50 (95% CI, 0.25-0.97); P = 0.04], whereas it was, respectively, 14.5 and 14.4% in patients included after 2 h [HR 1.02, (95% CI 0.59-1.75), P = 0.92]. CONCLUSION: The 5-year follow-up is consistent with the 30-day outcomes of the trial, showing similar mortality for primary percutaneous coronary intervention and a policy of pre-hospital lysis followed by transfer to an interventional center. In addition, for patients treated within 2 h of symptom onset, 5-year mortality was lower with pre-hospital lysis.

Vasopressin and epinephrine vs. epinephrine alone in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

BACKGROUND: During the administration of advanced cardiac life support for resuscitation from cardiac arrest, a combination of vasopressin and epinephrine may be more effective than epinephrine or vasopressin alone, but evidence is insufficient to make clinical recommendations. METHODS: In a multicenter study, we randomly assigned adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest to receive successive injections of either 1 mg of epinephrine and 40 IU of vasopressin or 1 mg of epinephrine and saline placebo, followed by administration of the same combination of study drugs if spontaneous circulation was not restored and subsequently by additional epinephrine if needed. The primary end point was survival to hospital admission; the secondary end points were return of spontaneous circulation, survival to hospital discharge, good neurologic recovery, and 1-year survival. RESULTS: A total of 1442 patients were assigned to receive a combination of epinephrine and vasopressin, and 1452 to receive epinephrine alone. The treatment groups had similar baseline characteristics except that there were more men in the group receiving combination therapy than in the group receiving epinephrine alone (P=0.03). There were no significant differences between the combination-therapy and the epinephrine-only groups in survival to hospital admission (20.7% vs. 21.3%; relative risk of death, 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 1.05), return of spontaneous circulation (28.6% vs. 29.5%; relative risk, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.06), survival to hospital discharge (1.7% vs. 2.3%; relative risk, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.02), 1-year survival (1.3% vs. 2.1%; relative risk, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.02), or good neurologic recovery at hospital discharge (37.5% vs. 51.5%; relative risk, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.81 to 2.06). CONCLUSIONS: As compared with epinephrine alone, the combination of vasopressin and epinephrine during advanced cardiac life support for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest does not improve outcome. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00127907.)

[Drugs for cardiac arrest]. / Médicaments de la réanimation de l'arrêt cardiaque.

After publication of the 2005 international recommendations on resuscitation, a French panel of experts on cardiac arrest published guidelines adapted to French practice. Despite the absence of placebo-controlled trials, adrenaline remains the standard vasopressor for cardiac arrest, at a dose of 1 mg about every 4 minutes. Amiodarone has replaced lidocaine in treatment of refractory ventricular fibrillation.No other drug is indicated during cardiopulmonary resuscitation,except for particular causes of cardiac arrest. Fibrinolysis should be considered only for cardiac arrest due to pulmonary embolism. Isotonic saline solution is recommended for infusions, and routine administration of sodium bicarbonate is not recommended. Intravenous access is necessary, but when unavailable rapidly,intraosseous is preferred to endotracheal delivery in adults and children

Does the prognosis of cardiac arrest differ in trauma patients?

OBJECTIVE: It is proposed to not resuscitate trauma patients who have a cardiac arrest outside the hospital because they are assumed to have a dismal prognosis. Our aim was to compare the outcome of patients with traumatic or nontraumatic ("medical") out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. DESIGN: Cohort analysis of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest included in the European Epinephrine Study Group's trial comparing high vs. standard doses of epinephrine. SETTING: Nine French university hospitals. PATIENTS: A total of 2,910 patients. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were successively and randomly assigned to receive repeated high doses (5 mg each) or standard doses (1 mg each) of epinephrine at 3-min intervals. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Return of spontaneous circulation, survival to hospital admission and discharge, and secondary outcome measures of 1-yr survival and neurologic outcome were recorded. In the trauma group, patients were younger (42 +/- 17 vs. 62 +/- 17 yrs, p < .001), presented with fewer witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (62.3% vs. 79.7%), and had fewer instances of ventricular fibrillation as the first documented pulseless rhythm (3.4% [95% confidence interval, 1.2-5.5%] vs. 17.3% [15.8-18.7%]). A return of spontaneous circulation was observed in 91 of 268 trauma patients (34.0% [28.3-39.6%]) compared with 797 of 2,642 medical patients (30.2% [28.4-31.9%]), and more trauma patients survived to be admitted to the hospital (29.9% [24.4-35.3%] vs. 23.5% [22.0-25.2%]). However, there was no significant difference between trauma and medical groups at hospital discharge (2.2% [0.5-4.0%] vs. 2.8% [2.1-3.4%]) and 1-yr survival (1.9% [0.3-3.5%] vs. 2.5% [1.9-3.1%]). Among patients who were discharged, a good neurologic status was observed in two trauma patients (33.3% [4.3-77.7%]) and 37 medical patients (50% [38.1-61.9%]). CONCLUSIONS: The survival and neurologic outcome of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were not different between trauma and medical patients. This result suggests that, under the supervision of senior physicians, active resuscitation after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is as important in trauma as in medical patients.

Is primary angioplasty more effective than prehospital fibrinolysis in diabetics with acute myocardial infarction? Data from the CAPTIM randomized clinical trial.

AIMS: The CAPTIM study randomized patients managed within 6 h of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction to primary angioplasty or prehospital fibrinolysis (rt-PA), with immediate transfer to a centre with interventional facilities. It found a similar incidence of the primary endpoint of death, recurrent MI, or stroke at 30 days with both strategies. We report here the outcome in the diabetic subgroup. METHODS AND RESULTS: The relationship of diabetic status (diabetics, n=103, non-diabetics, n=731) and treatment strategy with the occurrence of the primary endpoint and of death was analysed. Compared with non-diabetics, diabetics had a higher baseline risk profile, a higher rate of the primary endpoint (14.6 vs. 5.6%; P=0.002), and a high rate of mortality (8.7 vs. 3.1%; P=0.01) at 30 days. The incidence of the primary endpoint tended to be higher in diabetics randomized to prehospital fibrinolysis compared with those randomized to primary angioplasty [21.7 vs. 8.8% (10/46 vs. 5/57); RR: 2.47 (0.91-6.74); P=0.09]. This difference was driven by the higher mortality in the fibrinolysis group [13.0 vs. 5.3% (6/46 vs. 3/57); RR: 2.47 (0.7-9.4); P=0.29]. For non-diabetics, no such trend was observed. Compared with non-diabetics, diabetics had a much higher rate of rescue angioplasty (41.4 vs. 23.5%; P=0.01) and a higher mortality after rescue angioplasty [17.4 vs. 0% (4/23 vs. 0/90); P=0.001]. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that diabetic patients presenting within 6 h of an acute myocardial infarction may derive particular benefit from a strategy of primary angioplasty. However, the small number of diabetic patients in this subgroup analysis does not allow a final conclusion and a specifically designed study is warranted.

Impact of time to treatment on mortality after prehospital fibrinolysis or primary angioplasty: data from the CAPTIM randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: CAPTIM was a randomized trial comparing prehospital thrombolysis with transfer to an interventional facility (and, if needed, percutaneous intervention) with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Because the benefit of thrombolysis is maximal during the first 2 hours after symptom onset, and because prehospital thrombolysis can be implemented earlier than PCI, this analysis studied the relationship between the effect of assigned treatment and the time elapsed from symptom onset. METHODS AND RESULTS: Randomization within 2 hours (n=460) or > or =2 hours (n=374) after symptom onset had no impact on the effect of treatment on the 30-day combined primary end point of death, nonfatal reinfarction, and disabling stroke. However, patients randomized <2 hours after symptom onset had a strong trend toward lower 30-day mortality with prehospital thrombolysis compared with those randomized to primary PCI (2.2% versus 5.7%, P=0.058), whereas mortality was similar in patients randomized > or =2 hours (5.9% versus 3.7%, P=0.47). There was a significant interaction between treatment effect and delay with respect to 30-day mortality (hazard ratio 4.19, 95% CI 1.033 to 17.004, P=0.045). Among patients randomized in the first 2 hours, cardiogenic shock was less frequent with lytic therapy than with primary PCI (1.3% versus 5.3%, P=0.032), whereas rates were similar in patients randomized later. CONCLUSIONS: Time from symptom onset should be considered when one selects reperfusion therapy in STEMI. Prehospital thrombolysis may be preferable to primary PCI for patients treated within the first 2 hours after symptom onset.

Primary angioplasty versus prehospital fibrinolysis in acute myocardial infarction: a randomised study.

BACKGROUND: Although both prehospital fibrinolysis and primary angioplasty provide a clinical benefit over in-hospital fibrinolysis in acute myocardial infarction, they have not been directly compared. Our aim was to find out whether primary angioplasty was better than prehospital fibrinolysis. METHODS: We did a randomised multicentre trial of 840 patients (of 1200 planned) who presented within 6 h of acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation, initially managed by mobile emergency-care units. We assigned patients to prehospital fibrinolysis (n=419) with accelerated alteplase or primary angioplasty (n=421), and transferred all to a centre with access to emergency angioplasty. Our primary endpoint was a composite of death, non-fatal reinfarction, and non-fatal disabling stroke at 30 days. Analyses were by intention to treat. FINDINGS: The median delay between onset of symptoms and treatment was 130 min in the prehospital-fibrinolysis group and 190 min (time to first balloon inflation) in the primary-angioplasty group. Rescue angioplasty was done in 26% of the patients in the fibrinolysis group. The rate of the primary endpoint was 8.2% (34 patients) in the prehospital-fibrinolysis group and 6.2% (26 patients) in the primary-angioplasty group (risk difference 1.96, 95% CI -1.53 to 5.46). 16 (3.8%) patients assigned prehospital fibrinolysis and 20 (4.8%) assigned primary angioplasty died (p=0.61). INTERPRETATION: A strategy of primary angioplasty was not better than a strategy of prehospital fibrinolysis (with transfer to an interventional facility for possible rescue angioplasty) in patients presenting with early myocardial infarction.