Early Prediction of Cardiac Arrest in the Intensive Care Unit Using Explainable Machine Learning: Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac arrest (CA) is one of the leading causes of death among patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Although many CA prediction models with high sensitivity have been developed to anticipate CA, their practical application has been challenging due to a lack of generalization and validation. Additionally, the heterogeneity among patients in different ICU subtypes has not been adequately addressed. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to propose a clinically interpretable ensemble approach for the timely and accurate prediction of CA within 24 hours, regardless of patient heterogeneity, including variations across different populations and ICU subtypes. Additionally, we conducted patient-independent evaluations to emphasize the model's generalization performance and analyzed interpretable results that can be readily adopted by clinicians in real-time. METHODS: Patients were retrospectively analyzed using data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV (MIMIC-IV) and the eICU-Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD). To address the problem of underperformance, we constructed our framework using feature sets based on vital signs, multiresolution statistical analysis, and the Gini index, with a 12-hour window to capture the unique characteristics of CA. We extracted 3 types of features from each database to compare the performance of CA prediction between high-risk patient groups from MIMIC-IV and patients without CA from eICU-CRD. After feature extraction, we developed a tabular network (TabNet) model using feature screening with cost-sensitive learning. To assess real-time CA prediction performance, we used 10-fold leave-one-patient-out cross-validation and a cross-data set method. We evaluated MIMIC-IV and eICU-CRD across different cohort populations and subtypes of ICU within each database. Finally, external validation using the eICU-CRD and MIMIC-IV databases was conducted to assess the model's generalization ability. The decision mask of the proposed method was used to capture the interpretability of the model. RESULTS: The proposed method outperformed conventional approaches across different cohort populations in both MIMIC-IV and eICU-CRD. Additionally, it achieved higher accuracy than baseline models for various ICU subtypes within both databases. The interpretable prediction results can enhance clinicians' understanding of CA prediction by serving as a statistical comparison between non-CA and CA groups. Next, we tested the eICU-CRD and MIMIC-IV data sets using models trained on MIMIC-IV and eICU-CRD, respectively, to evaluate generalization ability. The results demonstrated superior performance compared with baseline models. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel framework for learning unique features provides stable predictive power across different ICU environments. Most of the interpretable global information reveals statistical differences between CA and non-CA groups, demonstrating its utility as an indicator for clinical decisions. Consequently, the proposed CA prediction system is a clinically validated algorithm that enables clinicians to intervene early based on CA prediction information and can be applied to clinical trials in digital health.

Coinfection of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Aspergillus in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease post cardiac arrest: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms (breathlessness, cough, and expectoration). In the advanced stages, patients often report to the Accident & Emergency department due to worsening of symptoms. Because of the repeated exposure to corticosteroids during the management of exacerbations, these patients are susceptible to super additional infections. Pulmonary aspergillosis can be divided into three main categories: invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis. Aspergillus overlap syndrome is defined as the presence of more than one form of Aspergillus in a single patient. However, coinfection with Klebsiella and pulmonary aspergillosis overlap syndrome is rare and poses a treatment challenge. As per a pub med search, no such case report has been reported in a case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 66-year-old male, Punjabi Hindu by ethnicity, who was a reformed smoker with a known case of COPD. He presented with a history of breathlessness (mMRC grade 4) associated with cough with expectoration and wheezing for 15 days and intermittent episodes of hemoptysis for more than 6 months. The examination revealed tachypnea and wheezing throughout the lung fields. He was initially managed with parenteral steroids and frequent nebulization with bronchodilators. On day 5 of hospitalization, the patient experienced worsening of symptoms and cardiac arrest; he was intubated and return of spontaneous circulation was achieved within 5 minutes of cardio pulmonary resuscitation. Tracheal aspirate and culture revealed Aspergillus fumigatus and Klebsiella pneumoniae respectively. He underwent chest CT, which showed features suggestive of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. He was found to have elevated ß-D-glucan, galactomannan, and aspergillus IgE and IgG. Severe pneumonia and pulmonary Aspergillus overlap syndrome were managed with antibiotics, steroids, and antifungals. Over the next 15-20 days, his general condition improved. He was discharged after 45 days of hospitalization and continued on oral corticosteroids, antifungals, and inhaled bronchodilators. CONCLUSION: Coinfection with bacteria and fungi worsens the outcome. Clinicians should be aware of the polymicrobial manifestations and various drug interactions involved. Timely diagnosis aids in better management strategies and improved patient outcomes.

The Discover In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (Discover IHCA) Study: An Investigation of Hospital Practices After In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

IMPORTANCE: In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is a significant public health burden. Rates of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) have been improving, but the best way to care for patients after the initial resuscitation remains poorly understood, and improvements in survival to discharge are stagnant. Existing North American cardiac arrest databases lack comprehensive data on the post-resuscitation period, and we do not know current post-IHCA practice patterns. To address this gap, we developed the Discover In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (Discover IHCA) study, which will thoroughly evaluate current post-IHCA care practices across a diverse cohort. OBJECTIVES: Our study collects granular data on post-IHCA treatment practices, focusing on temperature control and prognostication, with the objective of describing variation in current post-IHCA practice. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This is a multicenter, prospectively collected, observational cohort study of patients who have suffered IHCA and have been successfully resuscitated (achieved ROSC). There are 24 enrolling hospital systems (23 in the United States) with 69 individual enrolling hospitals (39 in the United States). We developed a standardized data dictionary, and data collection began in October 2023, with a projected 1000 total enrollments. Discover IHCA is endorsed by the Society of Critical Care Medicine. INTERVENTIONS, OUTCOMES, AND ANALYSIS: The study collects data on patient characteristics including pre-arrest frailty, arrest characteristics, and detailed information on post-arrest practices and outcomes. Data collection on post-IHCA practice was structured around current American Heart Association and European Resuscitation Council guidelines. Among other data elements, the study captures post-arrest temperature control interventions and post-arrest prognostication methods. Analysis will evaluate variations in practice and their association with mortality and neurologic function. CONCLUSIONS: We expect this study, Discover IHCA, to identify variability in practice and outcomes following IHCA, and be a vital resource for future investigations into best-practice for managing patients after IHCA.

Intensive care unit cardiac arrest among very elderly critically ill patients - is cardiopulmonary resuscitation justified?

INTRODUCTION: The proportion of very elderly patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) is expected to rise. Furthermore, patients are likely more prone to suffer a cardiac arrest (CA) event within the ICU. The occurrence of intensive care unit cardiac arrest (ICU-CA) is associated with high mortality. To date, the incidence of ICU-CA and its clinical impact on outcome in the very old (≥ 90 years) patients treated is unknown. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all consecutive critically ill patients ≥ 90 years admitted to the ICU of a tertiary care university hospital in Hamburg (Germany). All patients suffering ICU-CA were included and CA characteristics and functional outcome was assessed. Clinical course and outcome were assessed and compared between the subgroups of patients with and without ICU-CA. RESULTS: 1,108 critically ill patients aged ≥ 90 years were admitted during the study period. The median age was 92.3 (91.0-94.2) years and 67% (n = 747) were female. 2% (n = 25) of this cohort suffered ICU-CA after a median duration 0.5 (0.2-3.2) days of ICU admission. The presumed cause of ICU-CA was cardiac in 64% (n = 16). The median resuscitation time was 10 (2-15) minutes and the initial rhythm was shockable in 20% (n = 5). Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) could be achieved in 68% (n = 17). The cause of ICU admission was primarily medical in the total cohort (ICU-CA: 48% vs. No ICU-CA: 34%, p = 0.13), surgical - planned (ICU-CA: 32% vs. No ICU-CA: 37%, p = 0.61) and surgical - unplanned/emergency (ICU-CA: 43% vs. No ICU-CA: 28%, p = 0.34). The median Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was 2 (1-3) points for patients with ICU-CA and 1 (0-2) for patients without ICU-CA (p = 0.54). Patients with ICU-CA had a higher disease severity according to SAPS II (ICU-CA: 54 vs. No ICU-CA: 36 points, p < 0.001). Patients with ICU-CA had a higher rate of mechanically ventilation (ICU-CA: 64% vs. No ICU-CA: 34%, p < 0.01) and required vasopressor therapy more often (ICU-CA: 88% vs. No ICU-CA: 41%, p < 0.001). The ICU and in-hospital mortality was 88% (n = 22) and 100% (n = 25) in patients with ICU-CA compared to 17% (n = 179) and 28% (n = 306) in patients without ICU-CA. The mortality rate for patients with ICU-CA was observed to be 88% (n = 22) in the ICU and 100% (n = 25) in-hospital. In contrast, patients without ICU-CA had an in-ICU mortality rate of 17% (n = 179) and an in-hospital mortality rate of 28% (n = 306) (both p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The occurrence of ICU-CA in very elderly patients is rare but associated with high mortality. Providing CPR in this cohort did not lead to long-term survival at our centre. Very elderly patients admitted to the ICU likely benefit from supportive care only and should probably not be resuscitated due to poor chance of survival and ethical considerations. Providing personalized assurances that care will remain appropriate and in accordance with the patient's and family's wishes can optimise compassionate care while avoiding futile life-sustaining interventions.

Cardiac arrest with severe airway stenosis due to retropharyngeal haematoma secondary to Stanford type B acute aortic dissection.

This was the case of a male patient in his 60s, who suddenly collapsed. When the ambulance team arrived, the initial waveform was pulseless electrical activity; accordingly, a supraglottic airway device was inserted, and the patient was immediately transported to a referring hospital. On arrival, the patient resumed spontaneous circulation, the patient was diagnosed with Stanford type B acute aortic dissection and was referred to the author's hospital, where diffuse swelling of the anterior cervical region was revealed. CT performed by the previous hospital revealed compression of the trachea. The cause of cardiac arrest was considered to be severe airway stenosis secondary to a retropharyngeal haematoma associated with Stanford type B acute aortic dissection. Stanford type B acute aortic dissection can be complicated by retropharyngeal haematomas, which can lead to airway obstruction and even cardiac arrest. This condition also requires careful airway examination.

The association between initial post-resuscitation diastolic blood pressure and survival after pediatric cardiac arrest: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Limited research has analyzed the association between diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and survival after pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This study aimed to explore the association between post-resuscitation diastolic blood pressure and survival in pediatric patients who underwent CPR. METHOD: This retrospective single-center study included pediatric patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit of Asan Medical Center between January 2016 to November 2022. Patients undergoing extracorporeal CPR and those with unavailable data were excluded. The primary endpoint was survival to ICU discharge. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients were included, with 67 (63.2%) achieving survival to ICU discharge. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified DBP within 1 h after ROSC as the sole significant variable (p = 0.002, aOR, 1.043; 95% CI, 1.016-1.070). Additionally, DBP within 1 h demonstrated an area under the ROC curve of 0.7 (0.592-0.809) for survival to ICU discharge, along with mean blood pressure within the same timeframe. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the importance of DBP within 1-hour post-ROSC as a significant prognostic factor for survival to ICU discharge. However, further validation through further prospective large-scale studies is warranted to confirm the appropriate post-resuscitation DBP of pediatric patients.

Mild therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest - effect on survival with good neurological outcome outside of randomised controlled trials: A registry-based analysis.

BACKGROUND: For nearly 20 years, in international guidelines, mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) was an important component of postresuscitation care. However, recent randomised controlled trials have questioned its benefits. At present, international guidelines only recommend actively preventing fever, but there are ongoing discussions about whether the majority of cardiac arrest patients could benefit from MTH treatment. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of adult patients treated with and without MTH after cardiac arrest. DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTING: German Resuscitation Registry covering more than 31 million inhabitants of Germany and Austria. PATIENTS: All adult patients between 2006 and 2022 with out-of-hospital or in-hospital cardiac arrest and comatose on admission. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary endpoint: hospital discharge with good neurological outcome [cerebral performance categories (CPC) 1 or 2]. Secondary endpoint: hospital discharge. We used a multivariate binary logistic regression analysis to identify the effects on outcome of all known influencing variables. RESULTS: We analysed 33 933 patients (10 034 treated with MTH, 23 899 without MTH). The multivariate regression model revealed that MTH was an independent predictor of CPC 1/2 survival and of hospital discharge with odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) of 1.60 (1.49 to 1.72), P < 0.001 and 1.89 (1.76 to 2.02), P < 0.001, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate the existence of a positive association between MTH and a favourable neurological outcome after cardiac arrest. It therefore seems premature to refrain from giving MTH treatment for the entire spectrum of patients after cardiac arrest. Further prospective studies are needed.

The role of blood nitric oxide level in predicting return of spontaneous circulation: a prospective case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a difference in serum nitric oxide levels between patients who return spontaneously after cardiopulmonary resuscitation and those who do not. We also examined the potential of using serum nitric oxide levels as a marker to make an accurate decision about patient survival. METHODS: We included 100 consecutive patients who were brought to the emergency clinic due to cardiac arrest. Blood samples were taken from these patients at admission, 30 min after admission, and when resuscitation was terminated. RESULTS: We found that there was a significant difference in NO1 and NO3 values between the group of patients who did not return after cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the group in which spontaneous circulation returned. The NO1 value was significant in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, while the NO3 value was not. A higher NO1 value provided a higher rate of survival. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that nitric oxide may be a useful parameter to support the decision about patient survival. A higher NO1 value is associated with a better prognosis and survival rate. Therefore, serum nitric oxide levels may be a suitable indicator to support the decision-making process regarding patient survival.

Can the SYNTAX score predict mortality in patients with cardiac arrest?

OBJECTIVE: Sudden cardiac death or arrest describes an unexpected cardiac cause-related death or arrest that occurs rapidly out of the hospital or in the emergency room. This study aimed to reveal the relationship between coronary angiographic findings and cardiac death secondary to acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients presenting with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction complicated with cardiac arrest were included in the study. The severity of coronary artery disease, coronary chronic total occlusion, coronary collateral circulation, and blood flow in the infarct-related artery were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups, namely, deaths secondary to cardiac arrest and survivors of cardiac arrest. RESULTS: A total of 161 cardiac deaths and 42 survivors of cardiac arrest were included. The most frequent (46.3%) location of the culprit lesion was on the proximal left anterior descending artery. The left-dominant coronary circulation was 59.1%. There was a difference in the SYNTAX score (16.3±3.8 vs. 13.6±1.9; p=0.03) and the presence of chronic total occlusion (19.2 vs. 0%; p=0.02) between survivors and cardiac deaths. A high SYNTAX score (OR: 0.38, 95%CI: 0.27-0.53, p<0.01) was determined as an independent predictor of death secondary to cardiac arrest. CONCLUSION: The chronic total occlusion presence and SYNTAX score may predict death after cardiac arrest secondary to ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

In-hospital cardiac arrest characteristics, causes and outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease across different departments: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac etiologies arrest accounts for almost half of all in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), and previous studies have shown that the location of IHCA is an important factor affecting patient outcomes. The aim was to compare the characteristics, causes and outcomes of cardiovascular disease in patients suffering IHCA from different departments of Fuwai hospital in Beijing, China. METHODS: We included patients who were resuscitated after IHCA at Fuwai hospital between March 2017 and August 2022. We categorized the departments where cardiac arrest occurred as cardiac surgical or non-surgical units. Independent predictors of in-hospital survival were assessed by logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients with IHCA were analysed, 58 (48.7%) patients with cardiac arrest were in non-surgical units, and 61 (51.3%) were in cardiac surgical units. In non-surgical units, acute myocardial infarction/cardiogenic shock (48.3%) was the main cause of IHCA. Cardiac arrest in cardiac surgical units occurred mainly in patients who were planning or had undergone complex aortic replacement (32.8%). Shockable rhythms (ventricular fibrillation/ventricular tachycardia) were observed in approximately one-third of all initial rhythms in both units. Patients who suffered cardiac arrest in cardiac surgical units were more likely to return to spontaneous circulation (59.0% vs. 24.1%) and survive to hospital discharge (40.0% vs. 10.2%). On multivariable regression analysis, IHCA in cardiac surgical units (OR 5.39, 95% CI 1.90-15.26) and a shorter duration of resuscitation efforts (≤ 30 min) (OR 6.76, 95% CI 2.27-20.09) were associated with greater survival rate at discharge. CONCLUSION: IHCA occurring in cardiac surgical units and a duration of resuscitation efforts less than 30 min were associated with potentially increased rates of survival to discharge.

A larval zebrafish model of cardiac physiological recovery following cardiac arrest and myocardial hypoxic damage.

Contemporary cardiac injury models in zebrafish larvae include cryoinjury, laser ablation, pharmacological treatment and cardiac dysfunction mutations. Although effective in damaging cardiomyocytes, these models lack the important element of myocardial hypoxia, which induces critical molecular cascades within cardiac muscle. We have developed a novel, tractable, high throughput in vivo model of hypoxia-induced cardiac damage that can subsequently be used in screening cardioactive drugs and testing recovery therapies. Our potentially more realistic model for studying cardiac arrest and recovery involves larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) acutely exposed to severe hypoxia (PO2=5-7 mmHg). Such exposure induces loss of mobility quickly followed by cardiac arrest occurring within 120 min in 5 days post fertilization (dpf) and within 40 min at 10 dpf. Approximately 90% of 5 dpf larvae survive acute hypoxic exposure, but survival fell to 30% by 10 dpf. Upon return to air-saturated water, only a subset of larvae resumed heartbeat, occurring within 4 min (5 dpf) and 6-8 min (8-10 dpf). Heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output in control larvae before hypoxic exposure were 188±5 bpm, 0.20±0.001 nL and 35.5±2.2 nL/min (n=35), respectively. After briefly falling to zero upon severe hypoxic exposure, heart rate returned to control values by 24 h of recovery. However, reflecting the severe cardiac damage induced by the hypoxic episode, stroke volume and cardiac output remained depressed by ∼50% from control values at 24 h of recovery, and full restoration of cardiac function ultimately required 72 h post-cardiac arrest. Immunohistological staining showed co-localization of Troponin C (identifying cardiomyocytes) and Capase-3 (identifying cellular apoptosis). As an alternative to models employing mechanical or pharmacological damage to the developing myocardium, the highly reproducible cardiac effects of acute hypoxia-induced cardiac arrest in the larval zebrafish represent an alternative, potentially more realistic model that mimics the cellular and molecular consequences of an infarction for studying cardiac tissue hypoxia injury and recovery of function.

Sustained Performance of Cardiac Arrest Prevention in Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Units.

Importance: The Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium (PC4) cardiac arrest prevention (CAP) quality improvement (QI) project facilitated a decreased in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) incidence rate across multiple hospitals. The sustainability of this outcome has not been determined. Objective: To examine the IHCA incidence rate at participating hospitals after the QI project ended and discern which factors best aligned with sustained improvement. Design, Setting, and Participants: This observational cohort study compared IHCA data from the CAP era (July 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019) with data from the 2-year follow-up era (March 1, 2020, to February 28, 2022). Data were obtained from pediatric cardiac intensive care units (CICUs) from 17 PC4 CAP-participating hospitals. Intervention: The CAP practice bundle was designed to facilitate local practice integration, with the intention to implement, adapt, and continue CAP processes beyond the CAP era. A web-based survey was administered 2 years after the end of the project to estimate CAP-specific QI work. Main Outcomes and Measures: Risk-adjusted IHCA incidence rates across all admissions were compared between study eras. The survey generated a novel hospital-specific QI sustainability score, which is generally reflective of the sum of local CAP work performed. Results: There were no clinically important differences in demographic and admission characteristics between the 13 082 CAP era admissions and 16 284 follow-up admissions (total mean [SD] age, 5.1 [8.4] years; 56.1% male). Risk-adjusted IHCA incidences were not different between the CAP vs follow-up eras (2.8% vs 2.8%; odds ratio, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.89-1.19), suggesting sustained prevention improvement. There was also no difference between eras in risk-adjusted IHCA incidence within medical, surgical, or high-risk subgroups. A lower hospital QI sustainability score was correlated with higher odds for IHCA in the follow-up vs CAP era (correlation coefficient, -0.58; P = .02). Five hospitals had increases of 1% or greater in risk-adjusted IHCA rates in the follow-up era; these hospitals had significantly lower QI sustainability scores and were less likely to have adopted sustainability elements during the CAP era or report persistent engagement for CAP-related QI processes during follow-up. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of all CICU admissions across 17 hospitals, IHCA prevention was feasible and sustainable; the established reduction in risk-adjusted IHCA rate was maintained for at least 2 years after the end of the CAP project. Both implementation strategies and continued engagement in CAP processes during the follow-up era were associated with sustained improvement.

Association between serum alkaline phosphatase and clinical prognosis in patients with acute liver failure following cardiac arrest: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Acute liver failure (ALF) following cardiac arrest (CA) poses a significant healthcare challenge, characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates. This study aims to assess the correlation between serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and poor outcomes in patients with ALF following CA. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted utilizing data from the Dryad digital repository. The primary outcomes examined were intensive care unit (ICU) mortality, hospital mortality, and unfavorable neurological outcome. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the relationship between serum ALP levels and clinical prognosis. The predictive value was evaluated using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Two prediction models were developed, and model comparison was performed using the likelihood ratio test (LRT) and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). RESULTS: A total of 194 patients were included in the analysis (72.2% male). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a one-standard deviation increase of ln-transformed ALP were independently associated with poorer prognosis: ICU mortality (odds ratios (OR) = 2.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31-4.74, P = 0.005), hospital mortality (OR = 2.21, 95% CI 1.18-4.16, P = 0.014), and unfavorable neurological outcome (OR = 2.40, 95% CI 1.25-4.60, P = 0.009). The area under the ROC curve for clinical prognosis was 0.644, 0.642, and 0.639, respectively. Additionally, LRT analyses indicated that the ALP-combined model exhibited better predictive efficacy than the model without ALP. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum ALP levels upon admission were significantly associated with poorer prognosis of ALF following CA, suggesting its potential as a valuable marker for predicting prognosis in this patient population.

Alteration in early resting­state functional MRI activity in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the characteristics of abnormal regional resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) activity in comatose patients in the early period after cardiac arrest (CA), and to investigate their relationships with neurological outcomes. We also explored the correlations between jugular venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2) and rs-fMRI activity in resuscitated comatose patients. We also examined the relationship between the amplitude of the N20-baseline and the rs-fMRI activity within the intracranial conduction pathway of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs). METHODS: Between January 2021 and January 2024, eligible post-resuscitated patients were screened to undergo fMRI examination. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo) of rs-fMRI blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals were used to characterize regional neural activity. Neurological outcomes were evaluated using the Glasgow-Pittsburgh cerebral performance category (CPC) scale at 3 months after CA. RESULTS: In total, 20 healthy controls and 31 post-resuscitated patients were enrolled in this study. The rs-fMRI activity of resuscitated patients revealed complex changes, characterized by increased activity in some local brain regions and reduced activity in others compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05). However, the mean ALFF values of the whole brain were significantly greater in CA patients (P = 0.011). Among the clusters of abnormal rs-fMRI activity, the cluster values of ALFF in the left middle temporal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus and the cluster values of ReHo in the right precentral gyrus, superior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus were strongly correlated with the CPC score (P < 0.001). There was a strong correlation between the mean ALFF and SjvO2 in CA patients (r = 0.910, P < 0.001). The SSEP N20-baseline amplitudes in CA patients were negatively correlated with thalamic rs-fMRI activity (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that abnormal rs-fMRI BOLD signals in resuscitated patients showed complex changes, characterized by increased activity in some local brain regions and reduced activity in others. Abnormal BOLD signals were associated with neurological outcomes in resuscitated patients. The mean ALFF values of the whole brain were closely related to SjvO2 levels, and changes in the thalamic BOLD signals correlated with the N20-baseline amplitudes of SSEP responses. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05966389 (Registered July 27, 2023).

[Intensive care after cardiac arrest - Swedish Resuscitation Council summarizes the new guidelines]. / Intensivvård efter hjärtstopp.

In Sweden 1600 patients/year survive cardiac arrest (30-day survival). Post-resuscitation care is complex and aims to stabilize organ function with focus on preventing secondary brain injury. In 2021 The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) published joint guidelines on post-resuscitation care. In this article the Swedish Resuscitation Council summarizes the new guidelines with addition of more recent evidence to guide post-resuscitation care.