Factors Associated with Early Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatments After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Subanalysis of a Randomized Trial of Prehospital Therapeutic Hypothermia.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to describe incidence and factors associated with early withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies based on presumed poor neurologic prognosis (WLST-N) and practices around multimodal prognostication after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). METHODS: We performed a subanalysis of a randomized controlled trial assessing prehospital therapeutic hypothermia in adult patients admitted to nine hospitals in King County with nontraumatic OHCA between 2007 and 2012. Patients who underwent tracheal intubation and were unconscious following return of spontaneous circulation were included. Our outcomes were (1) incidence of early WLST-N (WLST-N within < 72 h from return of spontaneous circulation), (2) factors associated with early WLST-N compared with patients who remained comatose at 72 h without WLST-N, (3) institutional variation in early WLST-N, (4) use of multimodal prognostication, and (5) use of sedative medications in patients with early WLST-N. Analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: We included 1,040 patients (mean age was 65 years, 37% were female, 41% were White, and 44% presented with arrest due to ventricular fibrillation) admitted to nine hospitals. Early WLST-N accounted for 24% (n = 154) of patient deaths and occurred in half (51%) of patients with WLST-N. Factors associated with early WLST-N in multivariate regressions were older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.03), preexisting do-not-attempt-resuscitation orders (OR 4.67, 95% CI: 1.55-14.01), bilateral absent pupillary reflexes (OR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.42-4.10), and lack of neurological consultation (OR 2.60, 95% CI: 1.52-4.46). The proportion of patients with early WLST-N among all OHCA admissions ranged from 19-60% between institutions. A head computed tomography scan was obtained in 54% (n = 84) of patients with early WLST-N; 22% (n = 34) and 5% (n = 8) underwent ≥ 1 and ≥ 2 additional prognostic tests, respectively. Prognostic tests were more frequently performed when neurological consultation occurred. Most patients received sedating medications (90%) within 24 h before early WLST-N; the median time from last sedation to early WLST-N was 4.2 h (interquartile range 0.4-15). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one quarter of deaths after OHCA were due to early WLST-N. The presence of concerning neurological examination findings appeared to impact early WLST-N decisions, even though these are not fully reliable in this time frame. Lack of neurological consultation was associated with early WLST-N and resulted in underuse of guideline-concordant multimodal prognostication. Sedating medications were often coadministered prior to early WLST-N and may have further confounded the neurological examination. Standardizing prognostication, restricting early WLST-N, and a multidisciplinary approach including neurological consultation might improve outcomes after OHCA.

Fixed, Dilated, and Conversing-Unreactive Pupil With Preserved Consciousness Indicating Acutely Rising Intracranial Pressure due to Traumatic Intraparenchymal Contusions: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Patients with fixed and dilated pupils (FDPs) due to rising intracranial pressure (ICP) typically experience a deterioration in consciousness. We describe an exceptional case of a patient with bifrontal contusions who developed worsening edema and a unilaterally FDP while maintaining consciousness and the ability to communicate. A 58-year-old man with history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II presented after being assaulted, with bifrontal contusions and right frontal intraparenchymal hemorrhage. On hospital day 8, his right pupil became fixed (NPi 0) and dilated (4.8 mm). The patient was drowsy, arousable to tactile stimuli, answering questions, oriented to place and time, following commands on his right side, maintaining Glasgow Coma Scale of 14 (E4, V5, M6). He described complete loss of vision and could not identify objects or count fingers. His gaze was dysconjugate with impaired vertical excursion and inability to fully abduct to the right side. Corneal reflexes were intact bilaterally. Hypertonic saline and mannitol produced no improvement in his pupillary exam. Head computed tomography showed worsening midline shift and interval increase in subfalcine herniation related to increased peri-hematoma edema. We performed an emergent right-sided decompressive hemicraniectomy with durotomy and duraplasty. His pupil became reactive 5 hours after surgery. While FDP without deterioration of consciousness has been described due to traumatic subdural and epidural hematomas, we report this unusual constellation as a sign of rising ICP and impeding herniation due to intraparenchymal contusions, highlighting that any pupillary change warrants prompt work-up and intervention.