Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation versus conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation in adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a prospective observational study

Background: A favorable neurological outcome is likely to be achieved in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients with ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VF/VT) on the initial electrocardiogram (ECG). However, in patients without pre-hospital restoration of spontaneous circulation despite the initial VF/VT, the outcome is extremely low by conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Extracorporeal CPR (ECPR) may enhance cerebral blood flow and recovery of neurological function. We prospectively examined how ECPR for OHCA with VF/VT would affect neurological outcomes.

Methods and results: The design of this trial was a prospective, observational study. We compared differences of outcome at 1 and 6 months after OHCA between ECPR group (26 hospitals) and non-ECPR group (20 hospitals). Primary endpoints were the rate of favorable outcomes defined by the Glasgow-Pittsburgh Cerebral Performance and Overall Performance Categories (CPC) 1 or 2 at 1 and 6 months after OHCA. Based on intention-to-treat analysis, CPC 1 or 2 were 12.3% (32/260) in the ECPR group and 1.5% (3/194) in the non-ECPR group at 1 month (P<0.0001), and 11.2% (29/260) and 2.6% (5/194) at 6 months (P=0.001), respectively. By per protocol analysis, CPC 1 or 2 were 13.7% (32/234) in the ECPR group and 1.9% (3/159) in the non-ECPR group at 1 month (P<0.0001), and 12.4% (29/234) and 3.1% (5/159) at 6 months (P=0.002), respectively.

Conclusions: In OHCA patients with VF/VT on the initial ECG, a treatment bundle including ECPR, therapeutic hypothermia and IABP was associated with improved neurological outcome at 1 and 6 months after OHCA.