Improving Outcomes After Post-Cardiac Arrest Brain Injury: A Scientific Statement From the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation.

This scientific statement presents a conceptual framework for the pathophysiology of post-cardiac arrest brain injury, explores reasons for previous failure to translate preclinical data to clinical practice, and outlines potential paths forward. Post-cardiac arrest brain injury is characterized by 4 distinct but overlapping phases: ischemic depolarization, reperfusion repolarization, dysregulation, and recovery and repair. Previous research has been challenging because of the limitations of laboratory models; heterogeneity in the patient populations enrolled; overoptimistic estimation of treatment effects leading to suboptimal sample sizes; timing and route of intervention delivery; limited or absent evidence that the intervention has engaged the mechanistic target; and heterogeneity in postresuscitation care, prognostication, and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments. Future trials must tailor their interventions to the subset of patients most likely to benefit and deliver this intervention at the appropriate time, through the appropriate route, and at the appropriate dose. The complexity of post-cardiac arrest brain injury suggests that monotherapies are unlikely to be as successful as multimodal neuroprotective therapies. Biomarkers should be developed to identify patients with the targeted mechanism of injury, to quantify its severity, and to measure the response to therapy. Studies need to be adequately powered to detect effect sizes that are realistic and meaningful to patients, their families, and clinicians. Study designs should be optimized to accelerate the evaluation of the most promising interventions. Multidisciplinary and international collaboration will be essential to realize the goal of developing effective therapies for post-cardiac arrest brain injury.

Prehospital Ground and Helicopter-Based Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR) Reduce Barriers to ECPR: A GIS Model.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests that Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR) can improve survival rates for nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, when ECPR is indicated over 50% of potential candidates are unable to qualify in the current hospital-based system due to geographic limitations. This study employs a Geographic Information System (GIS) model to estimate the number of ECPR eligible patients within the United States in the current hospital-based system, a prehospital ECPR ground-based system, and a prehospital ECPR Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS)-based system. METHODS: We constructed a GIS model to estimate ground and helicopter transport times. Time-dependent rates of ECPR eligibility were derived from the Resuscitation Outcome Consortium (ROC) database, while the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) registry determined the number of OHCA patients meeting ECPR criteria within designated transportation times. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response time, ECPR candidacy determination time, and on-scene time were modeled based on data from the EROCA trial. The combined model was used to estimate the total ECPR eligibility in each system. RESULTS: The CARES registry recorded 736,066 OHCA patients from 2013 to 2021. After applying clinical criteria, 24,661 (3.4%) ECPR-indicated OHCA were identified. When considering overall ECPR eligibility within 45 min from OHCA to initiation, only 11.76% of OHCA where ECPR was indicated were eligible in the current hospital-based system. The prehospital ECPR HEMS-based system exhibited a four-fold increase in ECPR eligibility (49.3%), while the prehospital ground-based system showed a more than two-fold increase (28.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates a two-fold increase in ECPR eligibility for a prehospital ECPR ground-based system and a four-fold increase for a prehospital ECPR HEMS-based system compared to the current hospital-based ECPR system. This novel GIS model can inform future ECPR implementation strategies, optimizing systems of care.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest - who, when, and where?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is an invasive and resource-intensive therapy used to care for patients with refractory cardiac arrest. In this review, we highlight considerations for the establishment of an ECPR system of care for patients suffering refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). RECENT FINDINGS: ECPR has been shown to improve neurologically favorable outcomes in patients with refractory cardiac arrest in numerous studies, including a single randomized control trial. Successful ECPR programs are typically part of a comprehensive system of care that optimizes all phases of OHCA management. Given the resource-intensive and time-sensitive nature of ECPR, patient selection criteria, timing of ECPR, and location must be well defined. Many knowledge gaps remain within ECPR systems of care, postcardiac arrest management, and neuroprognostication strategies for ECPR patients. SUMMARY: To be consistently successful, ECPR must be a part of a comprehensive OHCA system of care that optimizes all phases of cardiac arrest management. Future investigation is needed for the knowledge gaps that remain.

Adult Advanced Life Support: 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations.

This 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations for advanced life support includes updates on multiple advanced life support topics addressed with 3 different types of reviews. Topics were prioritized on the basis of both recent interest within the resuscitation community and the amount of new evidence available since any previous review. Systematic reviews addressed higher-priority topics, and included double-sequential defibrillation, intravenous versus intraosseous route for drug administration during cardiac arrest, point-of-care echocardiography for intra-arrest prognostication, cardiac arrest caused by pulmonary embolism, postresuscitation oxygenation and ventilation, prophylactic antibiotics after resuscitation, postresuscitation seizure prophylaxis and treatment, and neuroprognostication. New or updated treatment recommendations on these topics are presented. Scoping reviews were conducted for anticipatory charging and monitoring of physiological parameters during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Topics for which systematic reviews and new Consensuses on Science With Treatment Recommendations were completed since 2015 are also summarized here. All remaining topics reviewed were addressed with evidence updates to identify any new evidence and to help determine which topics should be the highest priority for systematic reviews in the next 1 to 2 years.

Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Refractory Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (EROCA): Results of a Randomized Feasibility Trial of Expedited Out-of-Hospital Transport.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Outcomes of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest depend on time to therapy initiation. We hypothesize that it would be feasible to select refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients for expedited transport based on real-time estimates of the 911 call to the emergency department (ED) arrival interval, and for emergency physicians to rapidly initiate ECPR in eligible patients. METHODS: In a 2-tiered emergency medical service with an ECPR-capable primary destination hospital, adults with refractory shockable or witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were randomized 4:1 to expedited transport or standard care if the predicted 911 call to ED arrival interval was less than or equal to 30 minutes. The primary outcomes were the proportion of subjects with 911 call to ED arrival less than or equal to 30 minutes and ED arrival to ECPR flow less than or equal to 30 minutes. RESULTS: Of 151 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest 911 calls, 15 subjects (10%) were enrolled. Five of 12 subjects randomized to expedited transport had an ED arrival time of less than or equal to 30 minutes (overall mean 32.5 minutes [SD 7.1]), and 5 were eligible for and treated with ECPR. Three of 5 ECPR-treated subjects had flow initiated in less than or equal to 30 minutes of ED arrival (overall mean 32.4 minutes [SD 10.9]). No subject in either group survived with a good neurologic outcome. CONCLUSION: The Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Refractory Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest trial did not meet predefined feasibility outcomes for selecting out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients for expedited transport and initiating ECPR in the ED. Additional research is needed to improve the accuracy of predicting the 911 call to ED arrival interval, optimize patient selection, and reduce the ED arrival to ECPR flow interval.

Anatomy of resuscitative care unit: expanding the borders of traditional intensive care units.

Resuscitation lacks a place in the hospital to call its own. Specialised intensive care units, though excellent at providing longitudinal critical care, often lack the flexibility to adapt to fluctuating critical care needs. We offer the resuscitative care unit as a potential solution to ensure that patients receive appropriate care during the most critical hours of their illnesses. These units offer an infrastructure for resuscitation and can meet the changing needs of their institutions.

Cerebral performance category at hospital discharge predicts long-term survival of cardiac arrest survivors receiving targeted temperature management*.

OBJECTIVE: Despite recent advancements in post-cardiac arrest resuscitation, the optimal measurement of postarrest outcome remains unclear. We hypothesized that Cerebral Performance Category score can predict the long-term outcome of postarrest survivors who received targeted temperature management during their postarrest hospital care. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Two academic medical centers from May 2005 to December 2012. PATIENTS: The medical records of 2,417 out-of-hospital and in-hospital patients post cardiac arrest were reviewed to identify 140 of 582 survivors who received targeted temperature management. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The Cerebral Performance Category scores at hospital discharge were determined by three independent abstractors. The 1-month, 6-month, and 12-month survival of these patients was determined by reviewing hospital records and querying the Social Security Death Index and by follow-up telephone calls. The association of unadjusted long-term survival and adjusted survival with Cerebral Performance Category was calculated. Of the 2,417 patients who were identified to have undergone cardiac arrest, 24.1% (582/2,417) were successfully resuscitated, of whom 24.1% (140/582) received postarrest targeted temperature management. Overall, 42.9% of patients (60/140) were discharged with Cerebral Performance Category 1, 27.1% (38/140) with Cerebral Performance Category 2, 18.6% (26/140) with Cerebral Performance Category 3, and 11.4% (16/140) with Cerebral Performance Category 4. Cerebral Performance Category 1 survivors had the highest long-term survival followed by Cerebral Performance Categories 2 and 3, with Cerebral Performance Category 4 having the lowest long-term survival (p < 0.001, log-rank test). We found that Cerebral Performance Category 3 (hazard ratio = 3.62, p < 0.05) and Cerebral Performance Category 4 (hazard ratio = 12.73, p < 0.001) remained associated with worse survival after adjusting for age, gender, race, shockable rhythm, time to targeted temperature management initiation, total duration of resuscitation, withdrawal of care, and location of arrest. CONCLUSION: Patients with different Cerebral Performance Category scores at discharge have significantly different survival trajectories. Favorable Cerebral Performance Category at hospital discharge predicts better long-term outcomes of survivors of cardiac arrest who received targeted temperature management than those with less favorable Cerebral Performance Category scores.

Improving Outcomes After Post-Cardiac Arrest Brain Injury: A Scientific Statement From the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation.

This scientific statement presents a conceptual framework for the pathophysiology of post-cardiac arrest brain injury, explores reasons for previous failure to translate preclinical data to clinical practice, and outlines potential paths forward. Post-cardiac arrest brain injury is characterized by 4 distinct but overlapping phases: ischemic depolarization, reperfusion repolarization, dysregulation, and recovery and repair. Previous research has been challenging because of the limitations of laboratory models; heterogeneity in the patient populations enrolled; overoptimistic estimation of treatment effects leading to suboptimal sample sizes; timing and route of intervention delivery; limited or absent evidence that the intervention has engaged the mechanistic target; and heterogeneity in postresuscitation care, prognostication, and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments. Future trials must tailor their interventions to the subset of patients most likely to benefit and deliver this intervention at the appropriate time, through the appropriate route, and at the appropriate dose. The complexity of post-cardiac arrest brain injury suggests that monotherapies are unlikely to be as successful as multimodal neuroprotective therapies. Biomarkers should be developed to identify patients with the targeted mechanism of injury, to quantify its severity, and to measure the response to therapy. Studies need to be adequately powered to detect effect sizes that are realistic and meaningful to patients, their families, and clinicians. Study designs should be optimized to accelerate the evaluation of the most promising interventions. Multidisciplinary and international collaboration will be essential to realize the goal of developing effective therapies for post-cardiac arrest brain injury.

Wolf Creek XVII Part 7: Mechanical circulatory support.

Introduction: Failure to restore spontaneous circulation remains a major cause of death for cardiac arrest (CA) patients. Mechanical circulatory support, specifically extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), has emerged as a feasible and efficacious rescue strategy for selected refractory CA patients. Methods: Mechanical Circulatory Support was one of six focus topics for the Wolf Creek XVII Conference held on June 14-17, 2023 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Conference invitees included international thought leaders and scientists in the field of CA resuscitation from academia and industry. Participants submitted via online survey knowledge gaps, barriers to translation and research priorities for each focus topic. Expert panels used the survey results and their own perspectives and insights to create and present a preliminary unranked list for each category that was debated, revised and ranked by all attendees to identify the top 5 for each category. Results: Top 5 knowledge gaps included optimal patient selection, pre-ECPR treatments, logistical and programmatic characteristics of ECPR programs, generalizability and effectiveness of ECPR, and prevention of reperfusion injury. Top 5 barriers to translation included cost/resource limitations, technical challenges, collaboration across multiple disciplines, limited patient population, and early identification of eligible patients. Top 5 research priorities focused on comparing the outcomes of prehospital/rapid transport strategies vs in-hospital ECPR initiation, implementation of high-performing ECPR system vs standard care, rapid patient identification tools vs standard clinical judgment, post-cardiac arrest bundled care vs no bundled care, and standardized ECPR clinical protocol vs routine care. Conclusion: This overview can serve as an innovative guide to transform the care and outcome of patients with refractory CA.

Calcium during cardiac arrest: A systematic review.

Aim: To perform a systematic review of administration of calcium compared to no calcium during cardiac arrest. Methods: The search included Medline (PubMed), Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and CINAHL Plus and was conducted on September 30, 2022. The population included adults and children in any setting with cardiac arrest. The outcomes included return of spontaneous circulation, survival, survival with favourable neurologic outcome to hospital discharge and 30 days or longer, and quality of life outcome. Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 and ROBINS-I were performed to assess risk of bias for controlled and observational studies, respectively. Results: The systematic review identified 4 studies on 3 randomised controlled trials on 554 adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients, 8 observational studies on 2,731 adult cardiac arrest patients, and 3 observational studies on 17,449 paediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) patients. The randomised controlled and observational studies showed that routine calcium administration during cardiac arrest did not improve the outcome of adult OHCA or IHCA or paediatric IHCA. The risk of bias for the adult trials was low for one recent trial and high for two earlier trials, with randomization as the primary source of bias. The risk of bias for the individual observational studies was assessed to be critical due to confounding. The certainty of evidence was assessed to be moderate for adult OHCA and low for adult and paediatric IHCA. Heterogeneity across studies precluded any meaningful meta-analyses. Conclusions: This systematic review found no evidence that routine calcium administration improves the outcomes of cardiac arrest in adults or children.PROSPERO Registration: CRD42022349641.

Haemodynamic impact of aortic balloon occlusion combined with percutaneous left ventricular assist device during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a swine model of cardiac arrest.

AIM: To investigate the effect of tandem use of transient balloon occlusion of the descending aorta (AO) and percutaneous left ventricular assist device (pl-VAD) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a large animal model of prolonged cardiac arrest. METHODS: Ventricular fibrillation was induced and left untreated for 8 minutes followed by 16 minutes of mechanical CPR (mCPR) in 24 swine, under general anesthesia. Animals were randomized to 3 treatment groups (n = 8 per group): A) pL-VAD (Impella CP®) B) pL-VAD+AO, and C) AO. Impella CP® and the aortic balloon catheter were inserted via the femoral arteries. mCPR was continued during treatment. Defibrillation was attempted 3 times starting at minute 28 and then every 4 minutes. Haemodynamic, cardiac function and blood gas measurements were recorded for up to 4 hours. RESULTS: Coronary perfusion pressure (CoPP) in the pL-VAD+AO Group increased by a mean (SD) of 29.2(13.94) mmHg compared to an increase of 7.1(12.08) and 7.1(5.95) mmHg for groups pL-VAD and AO respectively (p = 0.02). Similarly, cerebral perfusion pressure (CePP) in pL-VAD+AO increased by a mean (SD) of 23.6 (6.11), mmHg compared with 0.97 (9.07) and 6.9 (7.98) mmHg for the other two groups (p < 0.001). The rate of return of spontaneous heartbeat (ROSHB) was 87.5%, 75%, and 100% for pL-VAD+AO, pL-VAD, and AO. CONCLUSION: Combined AO and pL-VAD improved CPR hemodynamics compared to either intervention alone in this swine model of prolonged cardiac arrest.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for cardiac arrest: An updated systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an updated systematic review on the use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) compared with manual or mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation during cardiac arrest. METHODS: This was an update of a systematic review published in 2018. OVID Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for randomized trials and observational studies between January 1, 2018, and June 21, 2022. The population included adults and children with out-of-hospital or in-hospital cardiac arrest. Two investigators reviewed studies for relevance, extracted data, and assessed bias. The certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE. RESULTS: The search identified 3 trials, 27 observational studies, and 6 cost-effectiveness studies. All trials included adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and were terminated before enrolling the intended number of subjects. One trial found a benefit of ECPR in survival and favorable neurological status, whereas two trials found no statistically significant differences in outcomes. There were 23 observational studies in adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest or in combination with in-hospital cardiac arrest, and 4 observational studies in children with in-hospital cardiac arrest. Results of individual studies were inconsistent, although many studies favored ECPR. The risk of bias was intermediate for trials and critical for observational studies. The certainty of evidence was very low to low. Study heterogeneity precluded meta-analyses. The cost-effectiveness varied depending on the setting and the analysis assumptions. CONCLUSIONS: Recent randomized trials suggest potential benefit of ECPR, but the certainty of evidence remains low. It is unclear which patients might benefit from ECPR.

Effect of percutaneous ventricular assisted device on post-cardiac arrest myocardial dysfunction in swine model with prolonged cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear if percutaneous left ventricular assist device (pLVAD) reduces post-cardiac arrest myocardial dysfunction. METHODS: This is a prespecified analysis of a subset of swine that achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in a study comparing pLVAD, transient aortic occlusion (AO), or both during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Devices were initiated after 24 minutes of ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest (8 min no-flow and 16 min mechanical CPR). AO was discontinued post-ROSC, and pLVAD support or standard care were continued. Beginning 60 minutes post-ROSC, pLVAD support was weaned to < 1.0 L/min and subsequently removed at 240 minutes. The primary outcome was cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at 240 minutes post-ROSC. Data are shown as mean (standard error). RESULTS: Seventeen swine achieved ROSC without complication and were included in this analysis (pLVAD group, n = 11 and standard care group, n = 6). For the primary outcomes, the pLVAD group had significantly higher CI of 4.2(0.3) vs. 3.1(0.4) L/min/m2 (p = 0.043) and LVEF 60(3) vs. 49(4) % (p = 0.029) at 240 minutes after ROSC when compared with the standard care group, while SVI was not statistically significantly different (32[3] vs. 23[4] mL/min/m2, p = 0.054). During the first 60 minutes post-ROSC, the pLVAD group had significantly higher coronary perfusion pressure, lower LV stroke work index, and total pulmonary resistance index. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that early pLVAD support after ROSC is associated with better recovery myocardial function compared to standard care after prolonged cardiac arrest.

Coagulofibrinolytic effects of recombinant soluble thrombomodulin in prolonged porcine cardiac arrest.

Aim: To evaluate coagulofibrinolytic abnormalities and the effects of ART-123 (recombinant human thrombomodulin alpha) in a porcine model of cardiac arrest and prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/CPR). Methods: Fifteen pigs (n = 5 per group) underwent 8 minutes of no-flow CA followed by 50 minutes of mechanical CPR, while 2 pigs underwent sham arrest. CA/CPR animals were randomized to receive saline or 1 mg/kg ART-123 pre-arrest (5 minutes prior to ventricular fibrillation) or post-arrest (2 minutes after initiation of CPR). Arterial and venous blood samples were drawn at multiple time points for blood gas analysis and measurement of plasma and whole blood markers of coagulation and fibrinolysis. Results: In saline-treated CA/CPR, but not sham animals, robust and persistent activation of coagulation and fibrinolysis was observed throughout resuscitation. After 50 minutes of CPR, plasma tests and thromboelastography indicated a mix of hypercoagulability and consumptive coagulopathy. ART-123 had a robust anticoagulant effect, reducing both thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complexes and d-dimer (p < 0.05 for each). The duration of anticoagulant effect varied depending on the timing of ART-123 administration. Similarly, ART-123 when given prior to cardiac arrest was found to have pro-fibrinolytic effects, increasing free tissue plasminogen activator (tPA, p = 0.02) and decreasing free plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1, p = 0.04). Conclusion: A porcine model of prolonged CA/CPR reproduces many of the coagulofibrinolytic abnormalities observed in human cardiac arrest patients. ART-123 demonstrates a combination of anticoagulant and profibrinolytic effects, depending on the timing of its administration relative to cardiac arrest.

Percutaneous left ventricular assist devices in refractory cardiac arrest: The role of chest compressions.

Background: Recent studies describe an emerging role for percutaneous left ventricular assist devices such as Impella CP® as rescue therapy for refractory cardiac arrest. We hypothesized that the addition of mechanical chest compressions to percutaneous left ventricular assist device assisted CPR would improve hemodynamics by compressing the right ventricle and augmenting pulmonary blood flow and left ventricular filling. We performed a pilot study to test this hypothesis using a swine model of prolonged cardiac arrest. Methods: Eight Yorkshire swine were anesthetized, intubated, and instrumented for hemodynamic monitoring. They were subjected to untreated ventricular fibrillation for 5.75 (SD 2.90) minutes followed by mechanical chest compressions for a mean of 20.0 (SD 5.0) minutes before initiation of percutaneous left ventricular assist device. After percutaneous left ventricular assist device initiation, mechanical chest compressions was stopped (n = 4) or continued (n = 4). Defibrillation was attempted 4, 8 and 12 minutes after initiating percutaneous left ventricular assist device circulatory support. Results: The percutaneous left ventricular assist device + mechanical chest compressions group had significantly higher percutaneous left ventricular assist device flow prior to return of spontaneous heartbeat at four- and twelve-minutes after percutaneous left ventricular assist device initiation, and significantly higher end tidal CO2 at 4-minutes after percutaneous left ventricular assist device initiation, when compared with the percutaneous left ventricular assist device alone group. Carotid artery flow was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: The addition of mechanical chest compressions to percutaneous left ventricular assist device support during cardiac arrest may generate higher percutaneous left ventricular assist device and carotid artery flow prior to return of spontaneous heartbeat compared to percutaneous left ventricular assist device alone. Further studies are needed to determine if this approach improves other hemodynamic parameters or outcomes after prolonged cardiac arrest.

Therapeutic Effect of Argatroban During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Streptokinase During Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in a Porcine Model of Prolonged Cardiac Arrest.

Prolonged cardiac arrest (CA) causes microvascular thrombosis which is a potential barrier to organ reperfusion during extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that early intra-arrest anticoagulation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and thrombolytic therapy during ECPR improve recovery of brain and heart function in a porcine model of prolonged out-of-hospital CA. DESIGN: Randomized interventional trial. SETTING: University laboratory. SUBJECTS: Swine. INTERVENTIONS: In a blinded study, 48 swine were subjected to 8 minutes of ventricular fibrillation CA followed by 30 minutes of goal-directed CPR and 8 hours of ECPR. Animals were randomized into four groups (n = 12) and given either placebo (P) or argatroban (ARG; 350 mg/kg) at minute 12 of CA and either placebo (P) or streptokinase (STK, 1.5 MU) at the onset of ECPR. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Primary outcomes included recovery of cardiac function measured by cardiac resuscitability score (CRS: range 0-6) and recovery of brain function measured by the recovery of somatosensory-evoked potential (SSEP) cortical response amplitude. There were no significant differences in recovery of cardiac function as measured by CRS between groups (p = 0.16): P + P 2.3 (1.0); ARG + P = 3.4 (2.1); P + STK = 1.6 (2.0); ARG + STK = 2.9 (2.1). There were no significant differences in the maximum recovery of SSEP cortical response relative to baseline between groups (p = 0.73): P + P = 23% (13%); ARG + P = 20% (13%); P + STK = 25% (14%); ARG + STK = 26% (13%). Histologic analysis demonstrated reduced myocardial necrosis and neurodegeneration in the ARG + STK group relative to the P + P group. CONCLUSIONS: In this swine model of prolonged CA treated with ECPR, early intra-arrest anticoagulation during goal-directed CPR and thrombolytic therapy during ECPR did not improve initial recovery of heart and brain function but did reduce histologic evidence of ischemic injury. The impact of this therapeutic strategy on the long-term recovery of cardiovascular and neurological function requires further investigation.

Integration of social media with targeted emails and in-person outreach for exception from informed consent community consultation.

BACKGROUND: Exception from informed consent (EFIC) enables the enrollment of research subjects with emergent conditions to clinical trials without prior consent. EFIC study approval requires community consultation and public disclosure. We hypothesized that the integration of social media with targeted emails and in-person outreach is an effective community consultation strategy. METHODS: We utilized social media with targeted emails and in-person outreach for the community consultation of the ACCESS cardiac arrest trial. Study advertisements were disseminated using Facebook and Instagram, and targeted emails were sent to emergency medicine, prehospital, and cardiology providers. We also interviewed at-risk individuals with cardiac conditions, their caretakers, and patient advocacy groups. Participants were asked to complete a survey about their opinions about the study. RESULTS: We collected 559 surveys over an 8-week period, and 70.5% of the surveys were obtained using social media. The median (IQR) age of survey respondents was 44 (33-57) years; 89.9% were White and 60.1% were women. A total of 91.3% believed ACCESS was an important study. Compared to the in-person group, more from social media (81.8% vs. 63.3%, p < 0.05) and targeted email (77.4% vs. 63.3%, p < 0.05) groups said they would include their loved ones in the study. More from the in-person group believed that their opinion would be considered seriously compared to the social media (75.9% vs. 62.6%, p < 0.05) and targeted email (75.9% vs. 54.5%, p < 0.05) groups. The incorporation of social media and targeted emails for community consultation reduced the cost per survey by fourfold compared to an in-person-only strategy. CONCLUSIONS: The integration of social media with targeted emails and in-person outreach was a feasible and cost-saving approach for EFIC community consultation. Future work is necessary to determine the perception and best utilization of social media for community consultation.

WOMen profEssioNal developmenT oUtcome Metrics in Academic Emergency Medicine: Results from the WOMENTUM Modified Delphi Study.

INTRODUCTION: To address persistent gender inequities in academic medicine, women professional development groups (PDG) have been developed to support the advancement of women in medicine. While these programs have shown promising outcomes, long-term evaluative metrics do not currently exist. The objective of this study was to establish metrics to assess women's PDGs. METHODS: This was a modified Delphi study that included an expert panel of current and past emergency department (ED) chairs and Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) presidents. The panel completed three iterative surveys to develop and rank metrics to assess women PDGs. Metrics established by the expert panel were also distributed for member-checking to women EM faculty. RESULTS: The expert panel ranked 11 metrics with high to moderate consensus ranking with three metrics receiving greater than 90% consensus: gender equity strategy and plan; recruitment; and compensation. Members ranked 12 metrics with high consensus with three metrics receiving greater than 90% consensus: gender equity strategy and plan; compensation; and gender equity in promotion rates among faculty. Participants emphasized that departments should be responsible for leading gender equity efforts with PDGs providing a supportive role. CONCLUSION: In this study, we identified metrics that can be used to assess academic EDs' gender equity initiatives and the advisory efforts of a departmental women's PDG. These metrics can be tailored to individual departmental/institutional needs, as well as to a PDG's mission. Importantly, PDGs can use metrics to develop and assess programming, acknowledging that many metrics are the responsibility of the department rather than the PDG.

Association of intentional cooling, achieved temperature and hypothermia duration with in-hospital mortality in patients treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: An analysis of the ELSO registry.

AIM: To investigate whether intentional cooling, achieved temperature and hypothermia duration were associated with in-hospital death in patients treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for refractory cardiac arrest. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry. Patients 18-79 years of age who received ECPR between 2010 and 2019 were included. We compared outcomes for intentional cooling versus no intentional cooling. Then, among those who completed intentional cooling, we compared the outcomes between i) achieved temperature ≤ 34 °C, 34-36 °C, and > 36 °C, and ii) duration ≤ 36 °C for < 12 h, 12-48 h, and ≥ 48 h. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality within 90 days. Cox proportional hazard models were generated with adjustment for covariates. RESULTS: Among 4,214 ECPR patients, 1,511 patients were included in the final analysis. After multivariable adjustment, there was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between patients with intentional cooling and no intentional cooling (hazard ratio [HR], 1.06 [95% CI 0.93-1.21]; p = 0.394). In the 609 patients who completed intentional cooling, temperature at 34-36 °C had a significantly lower adjusted HR for in-hospital mortality compared with > 36 °C (HR, 0.73 [0.55-0.96]; p = 0.025). Moreover, temperature ≤ 36 °C for 12-48 h had a significantly lower adjusted HR for in-hospital mortality compared with ≤ 36 °C for < 12 h (HR, 0.69 [0.53-0.90]; p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Intentional cooling was not associated with lower in-hospital mortality in ECPR patients. However, among patients with intentional cooling, achieving temperature of 34-36 °C for 12-48 h was associated with lower in-hospital mortality.