Journal article

Publication year: 2016

Pages: 13-22

Journal: European Heart Journal – Acute CardioVascular Care

Volume number: 5

Issue number: 7

ISSN: 2048-8726

eISSN: 2048-8734

Open access status: Bronze

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1177/2048872615612454

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Abstract: 

Aims: Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) has shown encouraging survival rates in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest; however, its routine use is still controversial. We compared the survival of patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest receiving conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CCPR) to that of patients with ECLS as an adjunct to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR).

Methods: A total of 353 patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (272 CCPR and 52 ECPR) were included in this retrospective, propensity score-adjusted (1:1 matched), single-centre study. Primary endpoints were survival at 30 days, long-term survival and neurological outcome defined by the cerebral performance categories score.

Results: In the unmatched groups patients undergoing ECPR initially had significantly higher APACHE II scores (P=0.03), increased norepinephrine dosages (P=0.03) and elevated levels of creatine kinase (P<0.0001), creatinine (P=0.04) and lactate (P=0.02) before cardiopulmonary resuscitation compared with those undergoing CCPR. After equalising these parameters significant differences were observed in short and long-term survival, favouring ECPR over CCPR (27% vs. 17%; P=0.01 (short-term) and 23.1% vs. 11.5%; P=0.008 (long-term); median follow-up duration after discharge 1136 days (interquartile range 823-1416)). There was no significant difference in the incidence of a cerebral performance categories score of 1 or 2 between the matched groups (CCPR 66.7% vs. ECPR 83.3%; P=0.77). ECLS implantation was the only significant and independent predictor of mortality in multivariate Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.35-0.90; P=0.02).

Conclusion: In our cohort of cardiovascular patients ECPR was associated with better short- and long-term survival over CCPR, with a good neurological outcome in the majority of the patients with refractory in-hospital cardiac arrest.

Harvard Citation style: Blumenstein, J., Leick, J., Liebetrau, C., Kempfert, J., Gaede, L., Gross, S., et al. (2016) Extracorporeal life support in cardiovascular patients with observed refractory in-hospital cardiac arrest is associated with favourable short and long-term outcomes: A propensity-matched analysis, European Heart Journal – Acute CardioVascular Care, 5(7), pp. 13-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/2048872615612454

APA Citation style: Blumenstein, J., Leick, J., Liebetrau, C., Kempfert, J., Gaede, L., Gross, S., Krug, M., Berkowitsch, A., Nef, H., Rolf, A., Arlt, M., Walther, T., Hamm, C., & Moellmann, H. (2016). Extracorporeal life support in cardiovascular patients with observed refractory in-hospital cardiac arrest is associated with favourable short and long-term outcomes: A propensity-matched analysis. European Heart Journal – Acute CardioVascular Care. 5(7), 13-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/2048872615612454