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

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

Use of prone position ventilation in patients with COVID-19 induced severe ARDS supported with V-V ECMO: A danish cohort study with focus on adverse events.

INTRODUCTION: Prone position ventilation (PPV) of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) supported with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) may improve oxygenation and alveolar recruitment and is recommended when extensive dorsal consolidations are present, but only few data regarding adverse events (AE) related to PPV in this group of patients have been published. METHODS: Nationwide retrospective analysis of 68 COVID-19 patients admitted from March 2020 - December 2021 with severe ARDS and need of V-V ECMO support. The number of patients treated with PPV, number of PPV-events, timing, the time spent in prone position, number and causes of AE are reported. Causes to stop the PPV regimen and risk factors for AE were explored. RESULTS: 44 out of 68 patients were treated with PPV, and 220 PPV events are evaluated. AE were identified in 99 out of 220 (45%) PPV events and occurred among 31 patients (71%). 1 fatal PPV related AE was registered. Acute supination occurred in 19 events (9%). Causes to stop the PPV regimen were almost equally distributed between effect (weaned from ECMO), no effect, death (of other reasons) and AE. Frequent causes of AE were pressures sores and ulcers, hypoxia, airway related and ECMO circuit related. Most AE occurred during patients first or second PPV event. CONCLUSIONS: PPV treatment was found to carry a high incidence of PPV related AE in these patients. Causes and preventive measures to reduce occurrence of PPV related AE during V-V ECMO support need further exploration.

Epidural blood patch for refractory low CSF pressure headache: a pilot study.

Once believed an exceedingly rare disorder, recent evidence suggests that low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure headache has to be considered an important cause of new daily persistent headaches, particularly among young and middle-aged individuals. Treatment of low CSF pressure headache consists of non-invasive/conservative measures and invasive measures with epidural blood patch providing the cornerstone of the invasive measures. In the present pilot study we therefore aimed to evaluate the treatment efficacy of epidural blood patch (EBP) in treatment-refractory low-pressure headache. Our primary effect parameter was total headache burden defined as area under the curve (AUC: intensity × duration) and as secondary effect parameters we identified: intensity (VAS 0-10), frequency (days per month), duration in hours (total hours/month) and also medication days (days on medication/month). In our primary effect parameter we found a significant reduction in AUC with more than 25% and this is considered to be clinically relevant. We found also a significant and relevant reduction at -22% in intensity. A trend towards reduction in duration was seen. We found no statistically significant reduction in frequency. An increase in days with use of medication was found. Increased awareness of low CSF pressure headache is emphasized and a controlled larger randomized study is needed to confirm the results. However the present results, allows us to conclude that EBP in treatment-refractory low CSF pressure headache can be considered as a treatment option.