Effects of mild hypercapnia on myocardial injury after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. A sub-study of the TAME trial.

PURPOSE: Mild hypercapnia did not improve neurological outcomes for resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients in the Targeted Therapeutic Mild Hypercapnia After Resuscitated Cardiac Arrest (TAME) trial. However, the effects of hypercapnic acidosis on myocardial injury in patients with cardiac arrest is unexplored. We investigated whether mild hypercapnia compared to normocapnia, following emergency coronary intervention, increased myocardial injury in comatose OHCA-patients with AMI. METHODS: Single-centre, prospective, pre-planned sub-study of the TAME trial. Patients were randomised to targeted mild hypercapnia (PaCO2 =6.7-7.3 kPa) or normocapnia (PaCO2 =4.7-6.0 kPa) for 24 hours. Myocardial injury was assessed with high-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) measured at baseline, 24, 48 and 72 hours. Haemodynamics were assessed with right heart catheterisation and blood-gas analyses every 4th hour for 48 hours. RESULTS: We included 125 OHCA-patients. 57 (46%) had an AMI, with 31 and 26 patients randomised to hypercapnia and normocapnia, respectively. Median peak hs-cTnT in AMI-patients was 58% lower in the hypercapnia-group: 2136 (IQR: 861-4462) versus 5165 ng/L (IQR: 2773-7519), p =0.007. Lower average area under the hs-cTnT curve was observed in the hypercapnia-group: 2353 (95% CI 1388-3319) versus 4953 ng/L (95% CI 3566-6341), P-group =0.002. Hypercapnia was associated with increased cardiac power output (CPO) and lower lactate levels in patients with AMI (P-group <0.05). hs-cTnT, lactate and CPO were not significantly different between intervention groups in OHCA-patients without AMI (p >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Mild hypercapnia was not associated with increased myocardial injury in resuscitated OHCA-patients. In AMI-patients, mild hypercapnia was associated with lower hs-cTnT and lactate, and improved cardiac performance. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03114033 Take-home-message: In this single-centre, prospective sub-study of a randomised cardiac arrest trial targeting mild hypercapnia was not associated with increased myocardial injury after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Compared to targeted normocapnia, mild hypercapnia was associated with lower hs-cTnT levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction as the cause of cardiac arrest.

Cerebral perfusion and metabolism with mild hypercapnia vs. normocapnia in a porcine post cardiac arrest model with and without targeted temperature management.

Aim: To determine whether targeting mild hypercapnia (PaCO2 7 kPa) would yield improved cerebral blood flow and metabolism compared to normocapnia (PaCO2 5 kPa) with and without targeted temperature management to 33 °C (TTM33) in a porcine post-cardiac arrest model. Methods: 39 pigs were resuscitated after 10 minutes of cardiac arrest using cardiopulmonary bypass and randomised to TTM33 or no-TTM, and hypercapnia or normocapnia. TTM33 was managed with intravasal cooling. Animals were stabilized for 30 minutes followed by a two-hour intervention period. Hemodynamic parameters were measured continuously, and neuromonitoring included intracranial pressure (ICP), pressure reactivity index, cerebral blood flow, brain-tissue pCO2 and microdialysis. Measurements are reported as proportion of baseline, and areas under the curve during the 120 min intervention period were compared. Results: Hypercapnia increased cerebral flow in both TTM33 and no-TTM groups, but also increased ICP (199% vs. 183% of baseline, p = 0.018) and reduced cerebral perfusion pressure (70% vs. 84% of baseline, p < 0.001) in no-TTM animals. Cerebral lactate (196% vs. 297% of baseline, p < 0.001), pyruvate (118% vs. 152% of baseline, p < 0.001), glycerol and lactate/pyruvate ratios were lower with hypercapnia in the TTM33 group, but only pyruvate (133% vs. 150% of baseline, p = 0.002) was lower with hypercapnia among no-TTM animals. Conclusion: In this porcine post-arrest model, hypercapnia led to increased cerebral flow both with and without hypothermia, but also increased ICP and reduced cerebral perfusion pressure in no-TTM animals. The effects of hypercapnia were different with and without TTM.(Institutional protocol number: FOTS, id 14931).

Outcome prediction in comatose cardiac arrest patients with initial shockable and non-shockable rhythms.

BACKGROUND: Prognosis after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is presumed poorer in patients with non-shockable than shockable rhythms, frequently leading to treatment withdrawal. Multimodal outcome prediction is recommended 72 h post-arrest in still comatose patients, not considering initial rhythms. We investigated accuracy of outcome predictors in all comatose OHCA survivors, with a particular focus on shockable vs. non-shockable rhythms. METHODS: In this observational NORCAST sub-study, patients still comatose 72 h post-arrest were stratified by shockable vs. non-shockable rhythms for outcome prediction analyzes. Good outcome was defined as cerebral performance category 1-2 within 6 months. False positive rate (FPR) was used for poor and sensitivity for good outcome prediction accuracy. RESULTS: Overall, 72/128 (56%) patients with shockable and 12/50 (24%) with non-shockable rhythms had good outcome (p < .001). For poor outcome prediction, absent pupillary light reflexes (PLR) and corneal reflexes (clinical predictors) 72 h after sedation withdrawal, PLR 96 h post-arrest, and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), all had FPR <0.1% in both groups. Unreactive EEG and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) >60 µg/L 24-72 h post-arrest had better precision in shockable patients. For good outcome, the clinical predictors, SSEP and CT, had 86%-100% sensitivity in both groups. For NSE, sensitivity varied from 22% to 69% 24-72 h post-arrest. The outcome predictors indicated severe brain injury proportionally more often in patients with non-shockable than with shockable rhythms. For all patients, clinical predictors, CT, and SSEP, predicted poor and good outcome with high accuracy. CONCLUSION: Outcome prediction accuracy was comparable for shockable and non-shockable rhythms. PLR and corneal reflexes had best precision 72 h after sedation withdrawal and 96 h post-arrest.

Incidence, characteristics, and associated factors of pressure injuries acquired in intensive care units over a 12-month period: A secondary analysis of a quality improvement project.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the 12-month cumulative incidence, characteristics, and associated factors of pressure injuries acquired in Intensive Care Units. SETTING: Four intensive care units in a Norwegian University Hospital. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: A prospective observational cohort study using data from daily skin inspections during a quality improvement project. We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Variables associated with the development of intensive care unit-acquired pressure injuries are presented with odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The 12-month cumulative incidence of patients (N = 594) developing intensive care unit-acquired pressure injuries was 29 % (172/594) for all categories and 16 % (95/594) when excluding category I pressure injuries (no skin loss). Cumulative incidence for patients acquiring medical device-related pressure injuries was 15 % (91/594) and 11 % (64/594) for category II or worse. Compression stockings (n = 51) and nasogastric tubes (n = 22) were the most frequent documented medical devices related to pressure injuries. Development of pressure injuries category II or worse was significantly associated with vasoactive drug infusions (OR 11.84, 95 % CI [1.59; 88.13]) and longer intensive care unit length of stay (OR 1.06, 95 % CI [1.04; 1.08]). CONCLUSION: The 12-month cumulative incidence of intensive care unit-acquired pressure injuries was relatively high when category I pressure injuries were included, but comparable to other studies when category I was excluded. Some medical device-related pressure injuries were surprisingly frequent, and these may be prevented. However, associated factors of developing pressure injuries were present and deemed non-modifiable. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Awareness about pressure injury prevention is needed in the intensive care unit considering high incidences. Nurses can detect category I pressure injuries early, which may be reversed. Our findings show several factors that clinicians can control to reduce the risk of pressure injuries in the intensive care unit.

Transcranial Doppler during the first week after cardiac arrest and association with 6-month outcomes.

Background: Early prediction of outcomes in comatose patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is challenging. Prognostication tools include clinical examination, biomarkers, and neuroradiological and neurophysiological tests. We studied the association between transcranial Doppler (TCD) and the outcome. Methods: This was a pre-defined sub-study of the prospective observational Norwegian Cardiorespiratory Arrest Study. Patients underwent standardized post-resuscitation care, including target temperature management (TTM) to 33°C for 24 h. TCD was performed at days 1, 3, and 5-7. The primary endpoint was cerebral performance category (CPC) at 6 months, dichotomized into good (CPC 1-2) and poor (CPC 3-5) outcomes. We used linear mixed modeling time-series analysis. Results: Of 139 TCD-examined patients, 81 (58%) had good outcomes. Peak systolic velocity in the middle cerebral artery (PSV) was low during TTM (Day 1) and elevated after rewarming (Day 3). Thereafter, it continued to rise in patients with poor, but normalized in patients with good, outcomes. At days 5-7, PSV was 1.0 m/s (95% CI 0.9; 1.0) in patients with good outcomes and 1.3 m/s (95% CI 1.1; 1.4) in patients with poor outcomes (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Elevated PSV at days 5-7 indicated poor outcomes. Our findings suggest that serial TCD examinations during the first week after cardiorespiratory arrest may improve our understanding of serious brain injury.

Cardiovascular changes induced by targeted mild hypercapnia after out of hospital cardiac arrest. A sub-study of the TAME cardiac arrest trial.

AIM: Hypercapnia may elicit detrimental haemodynamic effects in critically ill patients. We aimed to investigate the consequences of targeted mild hypercapnia versus targeted normocapnia on pulmonary vascular resistance and right ventricular function in patients resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). METHODS: Pre-planned, single-centre, prospective, sub-study of the Targeted Therapeutic Mild Hypercapnia After Resuscitated Cardiac Arrest (TAME) trial. Patients were randomised to mild hypercapnia (PaCO2 = 6.7-7.3 kPa) or normocapnia (PaCO2 = 4.7-6.0 kPa) for 24 hours. Haemodynamic assessment was performed with right heart catheterisation and serial blood-gas analyses every4th hour for 48 hours. RESULTS: We studied 84 patients. Mean pH was 7.24 (95% CI 7.22-7.30) and 7.32 (95% CI 7.31-7.34) with hypercapnia and normocapnia, respectively (P-group < 0.001). Pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI), pulmonary artery pulsatility index, and right atrial pressure did not differ between groups (P-group > 0.05). Mean cardiac index was higher with mild hypercapnia (P-group < 0.001): 2.0 (95% CI 1.85-2.1) vs 1.6 (95% CI 1.52-1.76) L/min/m2. Systemic vascular resistance index was 2579 dyne-sec/cm-5/ m2 (95% CI 2356-2830) with hypercapnia, and 3249 dyne-sec/cm-5/ m2 (95% CI 2930-3368) with normocapnia (P-group < 0.001). Stroke volumes (P-group = 0.013) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (P-group < 0.001) were higher in the hypercapnic group. CONCLUSION: In resuscitated OHCA patients, targeting mild hypercapnia did not increase PVRI or worsen right ventricular function compared to normocapnia. Mild hypercapnia comparatively improved cardiac performance and mixed venous oxygen saturation.

Use of Facebook in a quality improvement campaign to increase adherence to guidelines in intensive care: A qualitative study of nurses' and physicians' experiences.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore intensive care unit nurses' and physicians' experiences with professional content provided through closed Facebook groups, as part of a quality improvement campaign to improve guideline adherence. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: This study used an exploratory qualitative design. In June 2018, data were collected through focus groups of intensive care nurses and physicians who also were members of closed Facebook groups. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, and the study was reported according to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research. SETTING: The study's setting was four intensive care units at Oslo University Hospital, Norway. Professional content on Facebook comprised audit and feedback on quality indicators on intensive care topics with related pictures, videos, and weblinks. FINDINGS: Two focus groups of 12 participants were included in this study. Two main themes were identified: 'One size does not fit all ' described that quality improvement and implementation are influenced by several factors related to current recommendations and personal preferences. Various strategies are required to serve different purposes and meet individual needs. 'Matter out of place' described conflicting experiences of being offered or exposed to professional content on Facebook. CONCLUSION: Although the audit and feedback on quality indicators presented on Facebook motivated improvements, professional content on Facebook was perceived as inappropriate. Hospital platforms with applicable features of social media, such as reach, availability, convenience, ease, and possibility for commenting, were suggested to secure professional communication about recommended practices in intensive care units. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Social media platforms may be useful for professional communication among ICU personnel, but appropriate hospital applications with available and applicable social media features are recommended and needed. The use of several platforms may still be needed to reach all.

Return to work during first year after intensive care treatment and the impact of demographic, clinical and psychosocial factors.

OBJECTIVES: To describe work participation in survivors during first year after intensive care unit discharge and examine the impact of selected demographic, clinical and psychosocial factors on return to work 12 months after discharge. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: A predefined sub-study (prospective cohort study) of a randomised controlled trial. SETTING: A Norwegian single-centre university hospital. Medical and surgical adult intensive care survivors, working/on sick leave before admission, in the intensive care unit ≥24 h, were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Return to work three, six and 12 months after discharge, and impact of age, pre-existing comorbidities, previous serious life events, coping ability, hope and social support on return to work 12 months after discharge. RESULTS: Included were 284 patients, with mean age 47 years (SD 13.9) and 47 % women. One year after discharge, 69 % were back at work. In the regression analysis, with working at 12 months (yes/no) as the dependent variable, 178 patients, completing questionnaires at three as well as 12 months, were included. Lower age (OR 0.96, 95 % CI [0.93-0.99]), lower pre-existing comorbidities (OR 0.65, 95 % CI [0.43-0.97]), previous serious life events (OR 6.53, 95 % CI [2.14-19.94]), and greater hope at three months (OR 1.09, 95 % CI [1.01-1.17]) were all independently associated with higher odds of returning to work. CONCLUSION: Following intensive care, age, pre-existing comorbidities, experience of previous serious life events and hope all have a significant impact on return to work, and are important variables to consider during intensive care treatment and rehabilitation. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Attention must be paid to patients with prior working capability to ensure return to work after intensive care treatment. Older adults with pre-existing comorbidities might benefit from early, individualised rehabilitation to regain previous working capacity. In addition, there is also a need to support patients' hope during and after critical illness.

Cost Analysis of Open Surgical Bedside Tracheostomy in Intensive Care Unit Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Open surgical tracheostomy (OST) is a common procedure performed on intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The procedure can be performed bedside in the ICU (bedside open surgical tracheostomy, BeOST) or in the operating room (operating room open surgical tracheostomy, OROST), with comparable safety and long-term complication rates. We aimed to perform a cost analysis and evaluate the use of human resources and the total time used for both BeOSTs and OROSTs. METHODS: All OSTs performed in 2017 at 5 different ICUs at Oslo University Hospital Ullevål were retrospectively evaluated. The salaries of the personnel involved in the 2 procedures were obtained from the hospital's finance department. The time taken and the number of procedures performed were extracted from annual reports and from the electronic patient record system, and the annual expenditures were calculated. RESULTS: Altogether, 142 OSTs were performed, of which 122 (86%) and 20 (14%) were BeOSTs and OROSTs, respectively. A BeOST cost 343 EUR (95% CI: 241.4-444.6) less than an OROST. Bedside open surgical tracheostomies resulted in an annual cost efficiency of 41.818 EUR. In addition, BeOSTs freed 279 hours of operating room occupancy during the study year. Choosing BeOST instead of OROST made 1 nurse, 2 surgical nurses, and 1 anesthetic nurse redundant. CONCLUSION: Bedside open surgical tracheostomy appears to be cost-, time-, and resource-effective than OROST. In the absence of contraindications, BeOSTs should be performed in ICU patients whenever possible.

Patient mobilisation in the intensive care unit and evaluation of a multifaceted intervention including Facebook groups: A quasi-experimental study.

AIMS: To describe prevalence and time to mobilisation in intensive care unit patients defined as a minimum sitting in an upright position in bed, and evaluate the impact of a multifaceted quality improvement campaign on likelihood of patients being mobilised. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: Quality improvement project using a quasi-experimental study design, comparing patient cohorts before (Before) and after (Intervention) a campaign including educational sessions, audit and feedback of intensive care unit quality indicators via closed Facebook-groups and e-mail and local opinion leaders. Secondary analysis of mobilisation data from adult intensive care patient stays extracted from electronical medical charts. Likelihood of being mobilised was analysed with Multivariate Cox-regression model and reported as Sub-hazard Ratio (SHR). SETTING: Four intensive care units in a university hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence and time to first documented mobilisation, defined as at least "sitting in bed" during the intensive care unit stay. RESULTS: Overall, 929 patients were analysed, of whom 710 (76 %) were mobilised; 73 % (356/ 489) in Before vs 81 % (354/ 440) in Intervention (p = 0.007). Median time to mobilisation was 69.9 (IQR: 30.0, 149.8) hours; 71.7 (33.9, 157.9) in Before and 66.0 (27.1, 140.3) in Intervention (p = 0.104). Higher SAPS II-scores were associated with lower likelihood (SHR 0.98, 95 % CI 0.97-0.99), whereas admissions due to gastroenterological failure (SHR 2.1, 95 % CI 1.4-3.0), neurological failure (SHR 1.5, 95 % CI 1.0-2.2) and other causes (intoxication, postoperative care, haematological-, and kidney failure) (SHR 1.7, 95 % CI 1.13-2.6) were associated with higher likelihood of mobilisation vs respiratory failure. CONCLUSION: A quality improvement campaign including use of Facebook groups is feasible and may improve mobilisation in intensive care unit patients. Most patients were mobilised within 72 hours following intensive care unit admission, and SAPS II scores and causes for intensive care unit admission were both associated with likelihood of being mobilised.

Changes in health status and health related quality of life from six months to five years in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors - A NORCAST sub study.

BACKGROUND: Brain injury in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors affects health status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). It is unknown how HRQoL evolves over time, and assessments at different time points may lead to different results. METHODS: In a NORCAST sub study, OHCA survivors eligible for health status (EQ-5D-3L) and HRQoL (SF-36) assessments were examinated six months and five years after OHCA. At five-year follow-up, survivors also retrospectively assessed their health status for each consecutive year following OHCA. The next of kin independently assessed health status and HRQoL of their respective OHCA survivors. RESULTS: Among 138 survivors alive after six months and 117 after five years, 80 (88% male) completed both follow-ups. Health status and HRQoL remained stable over time, except for increasing SF-36 mental summary score and decreasing physical functioning and physical component score. Anxiety and depression levels were generally low, although younger survivors stated more anxiety than older survivors. Retrospective assessment showed reduced health status for the first two years, which increased only from the third year. Explorative analyses revealed that younger age, longer time to return of spontaneous circulation (tROSC) and late awakening affected health status, particularly in the first two years post-arrest. CONCLUSIONS: OHCA survivors showed stable health status and HRQoL with only minor differences between six months and five years. Younger survivors with long tROSC, late awakening, and more anxiety and depression symptoms at six months, had reduced health status the first two years with significant improvements towards the fourth year.

Influence of circulatory shock at hospital admission on outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Hypotension after cardiac arrest could aggravate prolonged hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. The association of circulatory shock at hospital admission with outcome after cardiac arrest has not been well studied. The objective of this study was to investigate the independent association of circulatory shock at hospital admission with neurologic outcome, and to evaluate whether cardiovascular comorbidities interact with circulatory shock. 4004 adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest enrolled in the International Cardiac Arrest Registry 2006-2017 were included in analysis. Circulatory shock was defined as a systolic blood pressure below 90 mmHg and/or medical or mechanical supportive measures to maintain adequate perfusion during hospital admission. Primary outcome was cerebral performance category (CPC) dichotomized as good, (CPC 1-2) versus poor (CPC 3-5) outcome at hospital discharge. 38% of included patients were in circulatory shock at hospital admission, 32% had good neurologic outcome at hospital discharge. The adjusted odds ratio for good neurologic outcome in patients without preexisting cardiovascular disease with circulatory shock at hospital admission was 0.60 [0.46-0.79]. No significant interaction was detected with preexisting comorbidities in the main analysis. We conclude that circulatory shock at hospital admission after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is independently associated with poor neurologic outcome.

Occurrence and characteristics of pain after ICU discharge: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Pain is a serious problem for intensive care unit (ICU) patients, but we are lacking data on pain at the hospital ward after ICU discharge. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe pain intensity, -interference with function and -location in patients up to 1 year after ICU discharge. To identify demographic and clinical variables and their association with worst pain intensity and pain interference. DESIGN: A longitudinal descriptive secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial on nurse-led follow-up consultations on post-traumatic stress and sense of coherence after ICU discharge. METHODS: Pain intensity, -interference, and -location were measured using Brief Pain Inventory at the hospital ward and 3, 6, and 12 months after ICU discharge. For associations, data were analysed using multivariate linear mixed models for repeated measures. RESULTS: Of 523 included patients, 68% reported worst pain intensity score above 0 (no pain) at the ward. Estimated means for worst pain intensity and -interference (from 0 to 10) after ICU discharge were 5.5 [CI 4.6-6.5] and 4.5 [CI 3.7-5.3], and decreased to 3.8 [CI 2.8-4.8] (P ≤ .001) and 2.9 [CI 2.1-3.7] after 12 months (P ≤ .001). Most common pain locations were abdomen (43%), lower lumbar back (28%), and shoulder/forearm (22%). At 12 months, post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms ≥25 (scale 10-70), female gender, shorter ICU stay, and more traumatic ICU memories were significantly associated with higher worst pain intensity. PTS symptoms ≥25, female gender, more traumatic ICU memories, younger age, and not having an internal medical diagnosis were significantly associated with higher pain interference. CONCLUSIONS: Early after ICU discharge pain was present in 68% of patients. Thereafter, pain intensity and -interference declined, but pain intensity was still at a moderate level at 12 months. Health professionals should be aware of patients' pain and identify potentially vulnerable patients. IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: Longitudinal assessment of factors associated with pain early after ICU discharge and the following year is a first step that could improve follow-up focus and contribute to reduced development of chronic pain.

Complement ratios C3bc/C3 and sC5b-9/C5 do not increase the sensitivity of detecting acute complement activation systemically.

BACKGROUND: Complement activation plays an important pathogenic role in numerous diseases. The ratio between an activation product and its parent protein is suggested to be more sensitive to detect complement activation than the activation product itself. In the present study we explored whether the ratio between the activation product and the parent protein for C3 (C3bc/C3) and for C5 (sC5b-9/C5) increased the sensitivity to detect complement activation in acute clinical settings compared to the activation product alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples from patients with acute heart failure following ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) and from patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) were used. C3, C3bc and C5, sC5b-9 were analysed in 629 and 672 patient samples, respectively. Healthy controls (n = 20) served to determine reference cut-off values for activation products and ratios, defined as two SD above the mean. RESULTS: Increased C3bc/C3- and sC5b-9/C5 ratios were vastly dependent on C3bc and sC5b-9. Thus, 99.5 % and 98.1 % of the increased C3bc/C3- and sC5b-9/C5 ratios were solely dependent on increased C3bc and sC5b-9, respectively. Significantly decreased C3 and C5 caused increased ratios in only 3/600 (0.5 %) and 4/319 (1.3 %) samples, respectively. Strong correlations between C3bc and C3bc/C3-ratio and between sC5b-9 and sC5b-9/C5-ratio were found in the STEMI- (r = 0.926 and r = 0.786, respectively) and the OHCA-population (r = 0.908 and r = 0.843, respectively; p < 0.0001 for all). Importantly, sC5b-9 identified worse outcome groups better than sC5b-9/C5-ratio. CONCLUSION: C3bc and sC5b-9 were sensitive markers of complement activation. The ratios of C3bc/C3 and sC5b-9/C5 did not improve detection of complement activation systemically.

Multifaceted intervention including Facebook-groups to improve guideline-adherence in ICU: A quasi-experimental interrupted time series study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of social media, with its speed, reach and accessibility, in interventions aimed to improve adherence to guidelines such as assessment of Pain, Agitation/Sedation and Delirium (PAD) in intensive care is not described. Therefore, the primary objective of this quality improvement study was to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted intervention including audit and feedback of quality indicators (QI) via Facebook-groups, educational events and engagement of opinion leaders on adherence to PAD-guidelines in four ICUs. METHODS: A quasi-experimental interrupted time series study with eight monthly data points in the two phases Before and Intervention was designed. Proportion of nursing shifts with documented PAD-assessment (PAD-QIs) were retrieved from the electronical medical chart from included adult ICU patient-stays in four participating ICUs. Difference between the two time periods was assessed using generalised mixed model for repeated measures with unstructured covariance matrix, and presented as Beta (B) with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Finally, 1049 ICU patient-stays were analysed; 534 in Before and 515 in Intervention. All three PAD-QIs significantly increased in Intervention by 31% (B = 30.7, 95%CI [25.7 to 35.8]), 26% (B = 25.8, 95%CI [19.4 to 32.2]) and 34% (B = 33.9, 95%CI [28.4 to 39.4]) in pain, agitation/sedation and delirium, respectively. CONCLUSION: A multifaceted intervention including use of Facebook-groups was associated with improved guideline-adherence in four ICUs, as measured with process PAD-QIs of PAD assessment. Further research on use of social media to improve guideline adherence is warranted, particularly as social distancing impacts clinical education and training and new approaches are needed.

Cerebral perfusion and metabolism with mean arterial pressure 90 vs. 60 mmHg in a porcine post cardiac arrest model with and without targeted temperature management.

AIM: To determine whether targeting a mean arterial pressure of 90 mmHg (MAP90) would yield improved cerebral blood flow and less ischaemia compared to MAP 60 mmHg (MAP60) with and without targeted temperature management at 33 °C (TTM33) in a porcine post-cardiac arrest model. METHODS: After 10 min of cardiac arrest, 41 swine of either sex were resuscitated until return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). They were randomised to TTM33 or no-TTM, and MAP60 or MAP90; yielding four groups. Temperatures were managed with intravasal cooling and blood pressure targets with noradrenaline, vasopressin and nitroprusside, as appropriate. After 30 min of stabilisation, animals were observed for two hours. Cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), cerebral blood flow (CBF), pressure reactivity index (PRx), brain tissue pCO2 (PbtCO2) and tissue intermediary metabolites were measured continuously and compared using mixed models. RESULTS: Animals randomised to MAP90 had higher CPP (p < 0.001 for both no-TTM and TTM33) and CBF (no-TTM, p < 0.03; TH, p < 0.001) compared to MAP60 during the 150 min observational period post-ROSC. We also observed higher lactate and pyruvate in MAP60 irrespective of temperature, but no significant differences in PbtCO2 and lactate/pyruvate-ratio. We found lower PRx (indicating more intact autoregulation) in MAP90 vs. MAP60 (no-TTM, p = 0.04; TTM33, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: In this porcine cardiac arrest model, targeting MAP90 led to better cerebral perfusion and more intact autoregulation, but without clear differences in ischaemic markers, compared to MAP60. INSTITUTIONAL PROTOCOL NUMBER: FOTS, id 8442.

Complement activation is associated with poor outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation after cardiac arrest initiates a whole-body ischemia-reperfusion injury, which may activate the innate immune system, including the complement system. We hypothesized that complement activation and subsequent release of soluble endothelial activation markers were associated with cerebral outcome including death. METHODS: Outcome was assessed at six months and defined by cerebral performance category scale (1-2; good outcome, 3-5; poor outcome including death) in 232 resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. Plasma samples obtained at admission and day three were analysed for complement activation products C3bc, the soluble terminal complement complex (sC5b-9), and soluble CD14. Endothelial cell activation was measured by soluble markers syndecan-1, sE-selectin, thrombomodulin, and vascular cell adhesion molecule. RESULTS: Forty-nine percent of the patients had good outcome. C3bc and sC5b-9 were significantly higher at admission compared to day three (p < 0.001 for both) and in patients with poor compared to good outcome (p = 0.03 and p < 0.001, respectively). Unadjusted, higher sC5b-9 at admission was associated with poor outcome (odds ratio 1.08 (95% CI 1.01-1.14), p = 0.024). Adjusted, sC5b-9 was still associated with outcome, but the association became non-significant when time to return-of-spontaneous-circulation above 25 min was included as a covariate. Endothelial cell activation markers increased from admission to day three, but only sE-selectin and thrombomodulin were significantly higher in patients with poor versus good outcome (p = 0.004 and p = 0.03, respectively) and correlated to sCD14 and sC5b-9/C3bc, respectively. CONCLUSION: Complement system activation, reflected by sC5b-9 at admission, leading to subsequent endothelial cell activation, was associated with poor outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.

Outcome in refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest before and after implementation of an ECPR protocol.

AIM: To compare the outcomes in patients with refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) fulfilling the criteria for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) before and after implementation of an ECPR protocol, whether the patient received ECPR or not. METHODS: We compared cardiac arrest registry data before (2014-2015) and after (2016-2019) implementation of the ECPR protocol. The ECPR criteria were presumed cardiac origin, witnessed arrest with ventricular fibrillation, bystander CPR, age 18-65, advanced life support (ALS) within 15 min and ALS > 10 min without return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The primary outcome was 30-day survival; the secondary outcomes were sustained ROSC, neurological outcome and the proportion of patients transported with ongoing ALS. RESULTS: There were 1086 and 3135 patients in the pre- and post-implementation sample; 48 (4%) and 100 (3%) met the ECPR criteria, respectively. Of these, 21 (44%) vs. 37 (37%) were alive after 30 days, p = 0.4, and 30 (63%) vs. 50 (50%) achieved sustained ROSC, p = 0.2. All survivors in the pre-implementation sample had cerebral performance category 1-2 vs. 30 (81%) in the post-implementation sample, p = 0.03. Of the patients fulfilling the ECPR criteria, 7 (15%) and 26 (26%), p = 0.1, were transported with ongoing ALS in the pre- and post-implementation sample, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in 30-day survival or prehospital ROSC in patients with refractory OHCA before and after initiation of an ECPR protocol.

Health-related quality of life after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest - a five-year follow-up studyJurate Saltyte Benth.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is affected after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), but data several years after the arrest are lacking. We assessed long-term HRQoL in OHCA survivors and how known outcome predictors impact HRQoL. METHODS: In adult OHCA survivors, HRQoL was assessed five years post arrest using Short-form 36 (SF-36), EQ-5D-3 L (EQ-5D) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) among others. Results were compared to the next of kins' estimates and to a Norwegian reference population. RESULTS: Altogether 96 survivors were included mean 5.3 (range 3.6-7.2) years after OHCA. HRQoL compared well to the reference population, except for lower score for general health with 67.2 (95%CI (62.1; 72.3) vs. 72.9 (71.9; 74.0)), p = 0.03. Younger (≤58 years) vs. older survivors scored lower for general health with mean (SD) of 62.1 (27.5) vs. 73.0 (19.5), p = 0.03, vitality (55.2 (20.5) vs. 64.6 (17.3), p = 0.02, social functioning (75.3 (28.7) vs. 94.1 (13.5), p < 0.001 and mental component summary (49.0 (9.9) vs. 55.8 (6.7), p < 0.001. They scored higher for HADS-anxiety (4.8 (3.6 vs. 2.7 (2.5), p = 0.001, and had lower EQ-5D index (0.72 (0.34) vs. 0.84 (0.19), p = 0.04. Early vs. late awakeners had higher EQ-5D index (0.82 (0.23) vs. 0.71 (0.35), p = 0.04 and lower HADS-depression scores (2.5 (2.9) vs. 3.8 (2.3), p = 0.04. Next of kin estimated HRQoL similar to the survivors' own estimates. CONCLUSIONS: HRQoL five years after OHCA was good and mainly comparable to a matched reference population. Stratified analyses revealed impaired HRQoL among younger survivors and those awakening late, mainly for mental domains.