Fluid balance during acute phase extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation and outcomes in OHCA patients: a retrospective multicenter cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The association between fluid balance and outcomes in patients who underwent out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and received extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) remains unknown. We aimed to examine the above relationship during the first 24 h following intensive care unit (ICU) admission. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of the SAVE-J II study, a retrospective multicenter study involving OHCA patients aged ≥ 18 years treated with ECPR between 2013 and 2018 and who received fluid therapy following ICU admission. Fluid balance was calculated based on intravenous fluid administration, blood transfusion, and urine output. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcomes included unfavorable outcome (cerebral performance category scores of 3-5 at discharge), acute kidney injury (AKI), and need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). RESULTS: Overall, 959 patients met our inclusion criteria. In-hospital mortality was 63.6%, and the proportion of unfavorable outcome at discharge was 82.0%. The median fluid balance in the first 24 h following ICU admission was 3673 mL. Multivariable analysis revealed that fluid balance was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR), 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.06; p < 0.001), unfavorable outcome (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.06; p = 0.005), AKI (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.05; p < 0.001), and RRT (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.03-1.07; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Excessive positive fluid balance in the first day following ICU admission was associated with in-hospital mortality, unfavorable outcome, AKI, and RRT in ECPR patients. Further investigation is warranted.

Variation in coagulation factor activity levels cause discrepancies between activated partial thromboplastin time and anti-Xa activity for heparin monitoring: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is primarily monitored using activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). However, the recent introduction of anti-activated factor X (anti-Xa) activity testing has provided a direct evaluation of Xa inhibition by anticoagulants. This study aimed to investigate discrepancies between APTT and anti-Xa activity during UFH monitoring in critically ill patients and explore their underlying causes. METHODS: This study analyzed 271 pairs of laboratory test results from blood samples of 99 critically ill patients receiving continuous intravenous UFH. Theoretical APTT values were calculated using fitted curve equations from spiked sample measurements with anti-Xa activity. Samples were categorized into three groups based on the measurement of the APTT/theoretical APTT ratio: the lower group (< 80%), the concordant group (80-120%), and the upper group (> 120%). RESULTS: The overall concordance rate between APTT and anti-Xa activity was 45%, with a 55% discrepancy rate. The lower group frequently showed apparent heparin overdoses, while coagulation factor activities in the lower and upper groups were higher and lower, respectively, than those in the concordant group. Particularly, the lower group exhibited higher factor VIII activity levels than the upper and concordant groups. CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancies between APTT and anti-Xa activity were frequently observed, influenced by changes in coagulation factors activity levels. The lower and upper groups were classified as pseudo-heparin-resistant and coagulopathy types, respectively. Accurate monitoring of heparin in critically ill patients is crucial, especially in cases of pseudo-heparin resistance, where APTT values may wrongly indicate inadequate heparin dosing despite sufficient anti-Xa activity. Understanding these discrepancies is important for managing heparin therapy in critically ill patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.

Delayed neurologic improvement and long-term survival of patients with poor neurologic status after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A retrospective cohort study in Japan.

AIM: To assess survival duration and frequency of delayed neurologic improvement in patients with poor neurologic status at discharge from emergency hospitals after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included OHCA patients admitted to two tertiary emergency hospitals in Japan between January 2014 and December 2020. Pre-hospital, tertiary emergency hospital, and post-acute care hospital data, were retrospectively collected by reviewing medical records. Neurologic improvements were defined as an improvement of Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scores from 3 or 4 at hospital discharge to 1 or 2. The primary outcome was neurologic improvement after discharge, while the secondary outcome was survival time after cardiac arrest. RESULTS: Of all patients (n = 1,012) admitted to tertiary emergency hospitals after OHCA during the observation period, 239 with CPC 3 or 4 at discharge were included, and all were Japanese. Median age was 75 years, 64% were male, and 31% had initially shockable rhythms. Neurologic improvements were observed in nine patients (3.6%), higher in CPC 3 (31%) than CPC 4 (1.3%) patients, but not after 6 months from cardiac arrest. The median survival time after cardiac arrest was 386 days (95% confidence interval: 303-469). CONCLUSION: Survival probability in patients with CPC 3 or 4 was 50% at 1-year and 20% at 3-year. Neurologic improvements were observed in 3.6% patients, higher in CPC 3 than in CPC 4 patients. During the first 6 months after OHCA, the neurologic status may improve in patients with CPC 3 or 4.

Prediction and Implications of Edoxaban-Associated Bleeding in Patients after Critical Illness.

In this retrospective study, we aimed to identify the risk factors for bleeding in patients after critical illness during edoxaban treatment. Data from patients who received edoxaban after critical illness at the Emergency Department at a tertiary care hospital were obtained from the hospital medical records. Multivariate analysis revealed the risk factors for edoxaban-associated bleeding. Additionally, we developed an edoxaban-associated bleeding score (EAB score) based on these results. The derived EAB score was compared with the HAS-BLED score using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Bleeding was observed in 42 of 114 patients (36.8%). We identified the following bleeding predictors (odds ratios, 95% confidence interval, score points) using multivariate analysis: concomitant use of antiplatelet agents (6.759, 2.047-22.32, 2 points), concomitant use of P-glycoprotein inhibitors (3.825, 1.484-9.856, 1 point), prothrombin time (PT)% following edoxaban administration of <75% and ≥60% (2.507, 0.788-7.970, 1 point), and PT% following edoxaban administration of <60% (11.23, 3.560-35.42, 3 points). The ROC curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 0.826 for the EAB score and 0.625 for the HAS-BLED score. Under appropriate edoxaban dosing regimens in patients after critical illness, a combination of antiplatelet agents, P-gp inhibitors, and a low PT% following edoxaban administration were identified as strong risk factors for bleeding.

Early prediction model of brain death in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients: a single-center retrospective and internal validation analysis.

BACKGROUND: A shortage of donor organs amid high demand for transplantable organs is a worldwide problem, and an increase in organ donation would be welcomed by the global healthcare system. Patients with brain death (BD) are potential organ donors, and early prediction of patients with BD may facilitate the process of organ procurement. Therefore, we developed a model for the early prediction of BD in patients who survived the initial phase of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data of patients aged < 80 years who experienced OHCA with a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and were admitted to our hospital between 2006 and 2018. We categorized patients into either a non-BD or BD group. Demographic and laboratory data on ED admission were used for stepwise logistic regression analysis. Prediction scores of BD after OHCA were based on ß-coefficients of prognostic factors identified in the multivariable logistic model. RESULTS: Overall, 419 OHCA patients with ROSC were admitted to our hospital during the study period. Seventy-seven patients showed BD (18.3%). Age and etiology of OHCA were significantly different between the groups. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that age, low-flow time, pH, and etiology were independent predictors of BD. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for this model was 0.831 (95% confidence interval, 0.786-0.876). CONCLUSIONS: We developed and internally validated a new prediction model for BD after OHCA, which could aid in the early identification of potential organ donors for early donor organ procurement.

Effect of annual hospital admissions of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients on prognosis following cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: Although the prognosis of patients treated at specialized facilities has improved, the relationship between the number of patients treated at hospitals and prognosis is controversial and lacks constancy in those with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This study aimed to clarify the effect of annual hospital admissions on the prognosis of adult patients with OHCA by analyzing a large cohort. METHODS: The effect of annual hospital admissions on patient prognosis was analyzed retrospectively using data from the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine OHCA registry, a nationwide multihospital prospective database. This study analyzed 3632 of 35,754 patients hospitalized for OHCA of cardiac origin at 86 hospitals. The hospitals were divided into tertiles based on the volume of annual admissions. The effect of hospital volume on prognosis was analyzed using logistic regression analysis with multiple imputation. Furthermore, three subgroup analyses were performed for patients with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) before arrival at the emergency department, patients admitted to critical care medical centers, and patients admitted to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-capable hospitals. RESULTS: Favorable neurological outcomes 30 days after OHCA for patients overall showed no advantage for medium- and high-volume centers over low-volume centers; Odds ratio (OR) 0.989, (95% Confidence interval [CI] 0.562-1.741), OR 1.504 (95% CI 0.919-2.463), respectively. However, the frequency of favorable neurological outcomes in OHCA patients with ROSC before arrival at the emergency department at high-volume centers was higher than those at low-volume centers (OR 1.955, 95% CI 1.033-3.851). CONCLUSION: Hospital volume did not significantly affect the prognosis of adult patients with OHCA. However, transport to a high-volume hospital may improve the neurological prognosis in OHCA patients with ROSC before arrival at the emergency department.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a retrospective large cohort multicenter study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has been increasing rapidly worldwide. However, guidelines or clinical studies do not provide sufficient data on ECPR practice. The aim of this study was to provide real-world data on ECPR for patients with OHCA, including details of complications. METHODS: We did a retrospective database analysis of observational multicenter cohort study in Japan. Adult patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac etiology who received ECPR between 2013 and 2018 were included. The primary outcome was favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge, defined as a cerebral performance category of 1 or 2. RESULTS: A total of 1644 patients with OHCA were included in this study. The patient age was 18-93 years (median: 60 years). Shockable rhythm in the initial cardiac rhythm at the scene was 69.4%. The median estimated low flow time was 55 min (interquartile range: 45-66 min). Favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge was observed in 14.1% of patients, and the rate of survival to hospital discharge was 27.2%. The proportions of favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge in terms of shockable rhythm, pulseless electrical activity, and asystole were 16.7%, 9.2%, and 3.9%, respectively. Complications were observed during ECPR in 32.7% of patients, and the most common complication was bleeding, with the rates of cannulation site bleeding and other types of hemorrhage at 16.4% and 8.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort, data on the ECPR of 1644 patients with OHCA show that the proportion of favorable neurological outcomes at hospital discharge was 14.1%, survival rate at hospital discharge was 27.2%, and complications were observed during ECPR in 32.7%.

Fibrinolytic system activation immediately following trauma was quickly and intensely suppressed in a rat model of severe blunt trauma.

In severe trauma, excessive fibrinolytic activation is associated with an increase in the transfusion volume and mortality rate. However, in the first several hours after a blunt trauma, changes in fibrinolytic activation, suppression, and activation-suppression balance have not yet been elucidated, which the present study aimed to clarify. Anesthetized 9-week-old male Wistar S/T rats experienced severe blunt trauma while being placed inside the Noble-Collip drum. Rats were randomly divided into four groups of seven. The no-trauma group was not exposed to any trauma; the remaining groups were analysed 0, 60, and 180 min after trauma. Immediately following trauma, total tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA) levels significantly increased in the plasma, and the balance of active tPA and active plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) significantly tipped toward fibrinolytic activation. After trauma, both tPA and PAI-1 levels increased gradually in various organs and active and total PAI-1 levels increased exponentially in the plasma. Total plasma tPA levels 60 min after trauma returned quickly to levels comparable to those in the no-trauma group. In conclusion, fibrinolytic activation was observed only immediately following trauma. Therefore, immediately after trauma, the fibrinolytic system was activated; however, its activation was quickly and intensely suppressed.

Simultaneous external validation of various cardiac arrest prognostic scores: a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare and validate the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA); cardiac arrest hospital prognosis (CAHP); non-shockable rhythm, unwitnessed arrest, long no-flow or long low-flow period, blood pH < 7.2, lactate > 7.0 mmol/L, end-stage chronic kidney disease, age ≥ 85 years, still resuscitation, and extracardiac cause (NULL-PLEASE) clinical; post-cardiac arrest syndrome for therapeutic hypothermia (CAST); and revised CAST (rCAST) scores in OHCA patients treated with recent cardiopulmonary resuscitation strategies. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data on adult OHCA patients admitted to our emergency department between February 2015 and July 2018. OHCA, CAHP, NULL-PLEASE clinical, CAST, and rCAST scores were calculated based on the data collected. The predictive abilities of each score were tested using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: We identified 236 OHCA patients from computer-based medical records and analyzed 189 without missing data. In OHCA patients without bystander witnesses, CAHP and OHCA scores were not calculated. Although the predictive abilities of the scores were not significantly different, the NULL-PLEASE score had a large AUC of ROC curve in various OHCA patients. Furthermore, in patients with bystander-witnessed OHCA, the NULL-PLEASE score had large partial AUCs of ROC from sensitivity 0.8-1.0 and specificity 0.8-1.0. CONCLUSIONS: The NULL-PLEASE score had a high, comprehensive predictive ability in various OHCA patients. Furthermore, the NULL-PLEASE score had a high predictive ability for good and poor neurological outcomes in patients with bystander-witnessed OHCA.

Variability of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation practice in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from the emergency department to intensive care unit in Japan.

AIM: A lack of known guidelines for the provision of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) to patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has led to variability in practice between hospitals even in the same country. Because variability in ECPR practice has not been completely examined, we aimed to describe the variability in ECPR practice in patients with OHCA from the emergency department (ED) to the intensive care units (ICU). METHODS: An anonymous online questionnaire to examine variability in ECPR practice was completed in January 2020 by 36 medical institutions who participated in the SAVE-J II study. Institutional demographics, inclusion and exclusion criteria, initial resuscitation management, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) initiation, initial ECMO management, intra-aortic balloon pumping/endotracheal intubation/management during coronary angiography, and computed tomography criteria were recorded. RESULTS: We received responses from all 36 institutions. Four institutions (11.1%) had a hybrid emergency room. Cardiovascular surgery was always involved throughout the entire ECMO process in only 14.7% of institutions; 60% of institutions had formal inclusion criteria and 50% had formal exclusion criteria. In two-thirds of institutions, emergency physicians carried out cannulation. Catheterization room was the leading location of cannulation (48.6%) followed by ED (31.4%). The presence of formal exclusion criteria significantly increased with increasing ECPR volume (P for trend <0.001). Intra-aortic balloon pumping was routinely initiated in only 25% of institutions. Computed tomography was routinely carried out before coronary angiography in 25% of institutions. CONCLUSIONS: We described the variability in ECPR practice in patients with OHCA from the ED to the ICU.

Microparticles and Nucleosomes Are Released From Parenchymal Cells Destroyed After Injury in a Rat Model of Blunt Trauma.

We investigated the relationships between circulating procoagulants and trauma severity, including cellular destruction, and the effects of thrombin generation on procoagulants in a rat blunt trauma model. The rats were subjected to tumbling blunt trauma, where they were tumbled for 0, 250, 500, or 1000 revolutions. Creatine kinase, nucleosome, and microparticle plasma levels increased gradually with trauma severity. Strong interrelationships were observed among creatine kinase, nucleosome, and microparticle levels. Time to initiation of thrombin generation shortened with increasing trauma severity. In accordance with trauma severity, prothrombin activity decreased, but the thrombin generation ratio increased. Time to initiation of thrombin generation and the thrombin generation ratio correlated with creatine kinase levels. In an in vitro study, a homogenized muscle solution, which included massive nucleosomes and microparticles, showed accelerated thrombin generation of plasma from healthy subjects. Procoagulants, such as microparticles and nucleosomes, are released from destroyed parenchymal cells immediately after external traumatic force, activating the coagulation cascade. The procoagulants shorten the time to initiation of thrombin generation. Furthermore, although coagulation factors are consumed, the thrombin generation ratio increases.

Relationship Between Severity of Fibrinolysis Based on Rotational Thromboelastometry and Conventional Fibrinolysis Markers.

The association between severity of fibrinolysis, ascertained by rotational thromboelastometry to diagnose hyperfibrinolysis in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), and conventional fibrinolysis markers (ie, tissue-plasminogen activator [t-PA], plasminogen, α2-plasmin inhibitor [α2-PI], and plasminogen activator inhibitor [PAI]) with key roles in the fibrinolytic system was investigated. This prospective observational study included 5 healthy volunteers and 35 patients with OHCA from the Hokkaido University Hospital. Blood samples were drawn immediately upon admission to the emergency department. Assessments of the extrinsic pathway using tissue factor activation (EXTEM) and of fibrinolysis by comparison with EXTEM after aprotinin addition (APTEM) were undertaken. Conventional coagulation and fibrinolysis markers were measured in the stored plasma samples. Significant hyperfibrinolysis observed in EXTEM disappeared in APTEM. Patients exhibited significantly higher levels of fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products, plasmin-α2-PI complex, and t-PA but lower levels of fibrinogen, plasminogen, and α2-PI than healthy controls. The PAI level was unchanged. Fibrinolytic parameters of EXTEM correlated with levels of lactate and conventional fibrinolysis markers, especially t-PA. Increased t-PA activity and decreased plasminogen and α2-PI significantly correlated with increased severity of fibrinolysis (hyperfibrinolysis).

Supernormal Antithrombin Activity Is an Independent Predictor of In-Hospital Mortality in Patients With Sepsis: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Supernormal antithrombin (AT) activity is rare in patients with sepsis. This study compared mortality rate of patients with sepsis and supernormal AT activity with that of other patients. This retrospective study included patients with sepsis from 42 intensive care units (ICUs) in Japan. Patients were included if their AT activity was measured on ICU admission, and if they did not receive AT concentrate. They were categorized into low, normal, and supernormal with respective AT activity of ≤70%, >70% to ≤100%, and >100%. The primary outcome was hospital in-patient mortality. Nonlinear regression analysis showed that mortality risk gradually increased with AT activity in the supernormal range, but without statistical significance. Survival rate was significantly lower in low (67%) and supernormal (57%) AT groups than in the normal AT group (79%; P < .001 and P = .008, respectively). After adjusting for disease severity and AT activity on day 2, supernormal AT activity was the only independent predictor of mortality. Sepsis with supernormal AT activity associated with high mortality, independent of disease severity, might be a predictor of in-hospital mortality.

Early administration of fibrinogen concentrate is associated with improved survival among severe trauma patients: a single-centre propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: Fibrinogen plays an important role in haemostasis during the early phase of trauma, and low fibrinogen levels after severe trauma are associated with haemostatic impairment, massive bleeding, and poor outcomes. Aggressive fibrinogen supplementation may improve haemostatic function, as fibrinogen levels deteriorate before other routine coagulation parameters in this setting. Therefore, we evaluated whether early administration of fibrinogen concentrate (FC) was associated with improved survival in severe trauma patients. Methods: This single-centre retrospective study evaluated patients with severe trauma (injury severity score ≥ 16) who were admitted to our emergency department between January 2010 and July 2018. The exclusion criteria included age < 18 years, cardiac arrest before emergency department arrival, cervical spinal cord injury not caused by a high-energy accident, and severe burn injuries. The FC and control groups included trauma patients who received and did not receive FC within 1 h after emergency department arrival, respectively. Propensity scores were used to balance the two groups based on the trauma and injury severity score (TRISS), heart rate at emergency department admission, and age. The primary outcome was the in-hospital survival rate. Results: The propensity scoring model had a c-statistic of 0.734, the Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-squared value was 7.036 (degrees of freedom = 8), and the non-significant p value of 0.533 indicated a good model fit. The propensity score matching created 31 matched pairs of patients, who had appropriately balanced characteristics. The FC group had a significantly higher in-hospital survival rate than the control group (log-rank p = 0.013). The FC group also used significantly higher amounts of red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma within 6 h after emergency department admission. However, the two groups had similar transfusion amounts between 6 and 24 h after emergency department admission. Conclusions: The present study revealed that early FC administration was associated with a favourable survival rate among severe trauma patients. Therefore, FC may be useful for the early management of trauma-induced coagulopathy and may improve outcomes in this setting.

Hyperfibrinolysis in severe isolated traumatic brain injury may occur without tissue hypoperfusion: a retrospective observational multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: Hyperfibrinolysis is a critical complication in severe trauma. Hyperfibrinolysis is traditionally diagnosed via elevated D-dimer or fibrin/fibrinogen degradation product levels, and recently, using thromboelastometry. Although hyperfibrinolysis is observed in patients with severe isolated traumatic brain injury (TBI) on arrival at the emergency department (ED), it is unclear which factors induce hyperfibrinolysis. The present study aimed to investigate the factors associated with hyperfibrinolysis in patients with isolated severe TBI. METHODS: We conducted a multicentre retrospective review of data for adult trauma patients with an injury severity score ≥ 16, and selected patients with isolated TBI (TBI group) and extra-cranial trauma (non-TBI group). The TBI group included patients with an abbreviated injury score (AIS) for the head ≥ 4 and an extra-cranial AIS < 2. The non-TBI group included patients with an extra-cranial AIS ≥ 3 and head AIS < 2. Hyperfibrinolysis was defined as a D-dimer level ≥ 38 mg/L on arrival at the ED. We evaluated the relationships between hyperfibrinolysis and injury severity/tissue injury/tissue perfusion in TBI patients by comparing them with non-TBI patients. RESULTS: We enrolled 111 patients in the TBI group and 126 in the non-TBI group. In both groups, patients with hyperfibrinolysis had more severe injuries and received transfusion more frequently than patients without hyperfibrinolysis. Tissue injury, evaluated on the basis of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase levels, was associated with hyperfibrinolysis in both groups. Among patients with TBI, the mortality rate was higher in those with hyperfibrinolysis than in those without hyperfibrinolysis. Tissue hypoperfusion, evaluated on the basis of lactate level, was associated with hyperfibrinolysis in only the non-TBI group. Although the increase in lactate level was correlated with the deterioration of coagulofibrinolytic variables (prolonged prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, decreased fibrinogen levels, and increased D-dimer levels) in the non-TBI group, no such correlation was observed in the TBI group. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperfibrinolysis is associated with tissue injury and trauma severity in TBI and non-TBI patients. However, tissue hypoperfusion is associated with hyperfibrinolysis in non-TBI patients, but not in TBI patients. Tissue hypoperfusion may not be a prerequisite for the occurrence of hyperfibrinolysis in patients with isolated TBI.

The ICM research agenda on extracorporeal life support.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to concisely describe the current standards of care, major recent advances, common beliefs that have been contradicted by recent trials, areas of uncertainty, and clinical studies that need to be performed over the next decade and their expected outcomes with regard to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). METHODS: Narrative review based on a systematic analysis of the medical literature, national and international guidelines, and expert opinion. RESULTS: The use of venovenous ECMO (VV-ECMO) is increasing in the most severe forms of acute lung injury. In patients with cardiogenic shock, short-term veno-arterial ECMO (VA-ECMO) provides both pulmonary and circulatory support. Technological improvements and recently published studies suggest that ECMO is able to improve patients' outcomes. There are, however, many uncertainties regarding the real benefits of this technique both in hemodynamic and respiratory failure, the territorial organization to deliver ECMO, the indications and the use of concomitant treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Although there have been considerable advances regarding the use of ECMO in critically ill patients, the risk/benefit ratio remains underinvestigated. ECMO indications, organization of ECMO delivery, and use of adjuvant therapeutics need also to be explored. Ongoing and future studies may be able to resolve these issues.

Fibrinogen level on admission is a predictor for massive transfusion in patients with severe blunt trauma: Analyses of a retrospective multicentre observational study.

INTRODUCTION: In the early phase of trauma, fibrinogen (Fbg) plays an important role in clot formation. However, to the best of our knowledge, few studies have analysed methods of predicting the need for massive transfusion (MT) based on Fbg levels using multiple logistic regression. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate whether Fbg levels on admission can be used to predict the need for MT in patients with trauma. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multicentre observational study. Patients with blunt trauma with ISS ≥16 who were admitted to 15 tertiary emergency and critical care centres in Japan participating in the J-OCTET were enrolled in the present study. MT was defined as the transfusion of packed red blood cells (PRBC) ≥10 units or death caused by bleeding within 24h after admission. Patients were divided into non-MT and MT groups. Multiple logistic-regression analysis was used to assess the predictive value of the variables age, sex, vital signs, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and Fbg levels for MT. We also evaluated the discrimination threshold of MT prediction via receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis for each variable. RESULTS: Higher heart rate (HR; per 10 beats per minutes [bpm]), systolic blood pressure (SBP; per 10mm Hg), GCS, and Fbg levels (per 10mg/dL) were independent predictors of MT (odds ratio [OR] 1.480, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.326-1.668; OR 0.851, 95% CI 0.789-0.914; OR 0.907, 95% CI 0.855-0.962; and OR 0.931, 95% CI 0.898-0.963, respectively). The optimal cut-off values for HR, SBP, GCS, and Fbg levels were ≥100 bpm (sensitivity 62.4%, specificity 79.8%), ≤120mm Hg (sensitivity 61.5%, specificity 70.5%), ≤12 points (sensitivity 63.3%, specificity 63.6%), and ≤190mg/dL (sensitivity 55.1%, specificity 78.6%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that vital signs, GCS, and decreased Fbg levels can be regarded as predictors of MT. Therefore, future studies should consider Fbg levels when devising models for the prediction of MT.

Fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) at hospital admission predict neurological outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to test the hypothesis that coagulation, fibrinolytic markers and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) score (International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis) at hospital admission of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients can predict neurological outcomes 1 month after cardiac arrest. METHODS: In this retrospective, observational analysis, data were collected from the Sapporo Utstein Registry and medical records at Hokkaido University Hospital. We included patients who experienced OHCA with successful return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) between 2006 and 2012 and were transferred to Hokkaido University Hospital. From medical records, we collected information about the following coagulation and fibrinolytic factors at hospital admission: platelet count; prothrombin time; activated partial thromboplastin time; plasma levels of fibrinogen, D-dimer, fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), and antithrombin; and calculated DIC score. Favorable neurological outcomes were defined as a cerebral performance category 1-2. RESULTS: We analyzed data for 315 patients. Except for fibrinogen level, all coagulation variables, fibrinolytic variables, and DIC score were associated with favorable neurological outcomes. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, FDP level had the largest area under the curve (AUC; 0.795). In addition, the AUC of FDP level was larger than that of lactate level. CONCLUSIONS: All of the coagulation and fibrinolytic markers, except for fibrinogen level, and DIC score at hospital admission, were associated with favorable neurological outcomes. Of all of the variables, FDP level was most closely associated with favorable neurological outcomes in OHCA patients who successfully achieved ROSC.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation with the fibrinolytic phenotype predicts the outcome of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: We tested the hypothesis that disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) during the early phase of post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and affects the outcome of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. METHODS: A review of the computer-based medical records of OHCA patients was retrospectively conducted and included 388 patients who were divided into DIC and non-DIC patients based on the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine DIC diagnostic criteria. DIC patients were subdivided into two groups: those with and without hyperfibrinolysis. Pre-hospital factors, platelet count, coagulation and fibrinolysis markers and lactate levels within 24 h after resuscitation were evaluated. The outcome measure was all-cause hospital mortality. RESULTS: DIC patients exhibited lower platelet counts, prolonged prothrombin time, decreased levels of fibrinogen and antithrombin associated with increased fibrinolysis than those without DIC. DIC patients more frequently developed SIRS and MODS, followed by worse outcomes than non-DIC patients. The same changes were observed in DIC patients with hyperfibrinolysis who showed a higher prevalence of MODS, leading to worse outcome than those without hyperfibrinolysis. Logistic regression analyses showed that lactate levels predicted hyperfibrinolysis and DIC is an independent predictor of patient death. Survival probabilities of DIC patients during hospital stay were significantly lower than non-DIC patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of DIC for the prediction of death was 0.704. CONCLUSIONS: The fibrinolytic phenotype of DIC during the early phase of post-CPR more frequently results in SIRS and MODS, especially in patients with hyperfibrinolysis, and affects the outcome of OHCA patients.