Claudio Sandroni

European Resuscitation Council Guidelines for Resuscitation 2010 Section 2. Adult basic life support and use of automated external defibrillators.

Basic life support (BLS) refers to maintaining airway patency and supporting breathing and the circulation, without the use of equipment other than a protective device.(1) This section contains the guidelines for adult BLS by lay rescuers and for the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). It also includes recognition of sudden cardiac arrest, the recovery position and management of choking (foreign-body airway obstruction). Guidelines for in-hospital BLS and the use of manual defibrillators may be found in Sections 3 and 4b.

European Resuscitation Council Guidelines for Resuscitation 2015: Section 3. Adult advanced life support

Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, UK Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Germany Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany SAMU de Paris, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Necker University Hospital, Paris, France Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency Medical Service, Santa Maria degli Angeli Hospital, Pordenone, Italy Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy Division of Intensive Care, Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital and Helsinki University, elsinki, Finland Centre of Postgraduate Medical Research & Education, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK Department of Anaesthesiology, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway edical Cardiac Anaesthesia and Cardiac Intensive Care, NIHR Southampton Respiratory Biom outhampton, UK

European Resuscitation Council Guidelines for Resuscitation 2010 Section 8. Cardiac arrest in special circumstances: Electrolyte abnormalities, poisoning, drowning, accidental hypothermia, hyperthermia, asthma, anaphylaxis, cardiac surgery, trauma, pregnancy, electrocution.

uropean Resuscitation Council Guidelines for Resuscitation 2010 ection 8. Cardiac arrest in special circumstances: Electrolyte abnormalities, oisoning, drowning, accidental hypothermia, hyperthermia, asthma, naphylaxis, cardiac surgery, trauma, pregnancy, electrocution asmeet Soara,∗, Gavin D. Perkinsb, Gamal Abbasc, Annette Alfonzod, Alessandro Barelli e, oost J.L.M. Bierens f, Hermann Bruggerg, Charles D. Deakinh, Joel Dunning i, Marios Georgiouj, nthony J. Handleyk, David J. Lockey l, Peter Paalm, Claudio Sandronin, Karl-Christian Thieso, avid A. Zidemanp, Jerry P. Nolanq

European Resuscitation Council and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine Guidelines for Post-resuscitation Care 2015: Section 5 of the European Resuscitation Council Guidelines for Resuscitation 2015

Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, UK Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK Cochin University Hospital (APHP) and Paris Descartes University, Paris, France Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Neurology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden Adelante, Centre of Expertise in Rehabilitation and Audiology, Hoensbroek, The Netherlands Cardiac Anaesthesia and Cardiac Intensive Care and NIHR Southampton Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital, Southampton, UK Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden Department of Anaesthesiology, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, slo, Norway Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy

Prognostication in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest: An advisory statement from the European Resuscitation Council and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine ☆

OBJECTIVES To review and update the evidence on predictors of poor outcome (death, persistent vegetative state or severe neurological disability) in adult comatose survivors of cardiac arrest, either treated or not treated with controlled temperature, to identify knowledge gaps and to suggest a reliable prognostication strategy. METHODS GRADE-based systematic review followed by expert consensus achieved using Web-based Delphi methodology, conference calls and face-to-face meetings. Predictors based on clinical examination, electrophysiology, biomarkers and imaging were included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Evidence from a total of 73 studies was reviewed. The quality of evidence was low or very low for almost all studies. In patients who are comatose with absent or extensor motor response at ≥72 h from arrest, either treated or not treated with controlled temperature, bilateral absence of either pupillary and corneal reflexes or N20 wave of short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials were identified as the most robust predictors. Early status myoclonus, elevated values of neuron specific enolase at 48 72 h from arrest, unreactive malignant EEG patterns after rewarming, and presence of diffuse signs of postanoxic injury on either computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging were identified as useful but less robust predictors. Prolonged observation and repeated assessments should be considered when results of initial assessment are inconclusive. Although no specific combination of predictors is sufficiently supported by available evidence, a multimodal prognostication approach is recommended in all patients.

Predictors of poor neurological outcome in adult comatose survivors of cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Part 2: Patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia

AIMS AND METHODS To systematically review the accuracy of early (≤7 days) predictors of poor outcome, defined as death or vegetative state (Cerebral Performance Categories [CPC] 4-5) or death, vegetative state or severe disability (CPC 3-5), in comatose adult survivors from cardiac arrest (CA) treated using therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Electronic databases were searched for eligible studies. Sensitivity, specificity, and false positive rates (FPR) for each predictor were calculated. Quality of evidence (QOE) was evaluated according to the GRADE guidelines. RESULTS 37 studies (2403 patients) were included. A bilaterally absent N20 SSEP wave during TH (4 studies; QOE: Moderate) or after rewarming (5 studies; QOE: Low), a nonreactive EEG background (3 studies; QOE: Low) after rewarming, a combination of absent pupillary light and corneal reflexes plus a motor response no better than extension (M≤2) (1 study; QOE: Very low) after rewarming predicted CPC 3-5 with 0% FPR and narrow (<10%) 95% confidence intervals. No consistent threshold for 0% FPR could be identified for blood levels of biomarkers. In 6/8 studies on SSEP, in 1/3 studies on EEG reactivity and in the single study on clinical examination the investigated predictor was used for decisions to withdraw treatment, causing the risk of a self-fulfilling prophecy. CONCLUSIONS in the first 7 days after CA, a bilaterally absent N20 SSEP wave anytime, a nonreactive EEG after rewarming or a combination of absent ocular reflexes and M≤2 after rewarming predicted CPC 3-5 with 0% FPR and narrow 95% CIs, but with a high risk of bias.

Part 4: Advanced life support

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Advanced Life Support (ALS) Task Force performed detailed systematic reviews based on the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies1 and using the methodological approach proposed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group.2 Questions to be addressed (using the PICO [population, intervention, comparator, outcome] format)3 were prioritized by ALS Task Force members (by voting). Prioritization criteria included awareness of significant new data and new controversies or questions about practice. Questions about topics no longer relevant to contemporary practice or where little new research has occurred were given lower priority. The ALS Task Force prioritized 42 PICO questions for review. With the assistance of information specialists, a detailed search for relevant articles was performed in each of 3 online databases (PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library). By using detailed inclusion and exclusion criteria, articles were screened for further evaluation. The reviewers for each question created a reconciled risk of bias assessment for each of the included studies, using state-of-the-art tools: Cochrane for randomized controlled trials (RCTs),4 Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS)-2 for studies of diagnostic accuracy,5 and GRADE for observational studies that inform both therapy and prognosis questions.6 GRADE evidence profile tables7 were then created to facilitate an evaluation of the evidence in support of each of the critical and important outcomes. The quality of the evidence (or confidence in the estimate of the effect) was categorized as high, moderate, low, or very low,8 based on the study methodologies and the 5 core GRADE domains of risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness, imprecision, and other considerations (including publication bias).9 These evidence profile tables were then used to create a …

Is vasopressin superior to adrenaline or placebo in the management of cardiac arrest? A meta-analysis.

Vasopressin is currently recommended in the management of patients with cardiac arrest, but its efficacy is still incompletely established. We systematically reviewed randomized trials comparing vasopressin to control treatment in the management of cardiac arrest in humans and animals. Two human and 33 animal studies were retrieved. At pooled analysis vasopressin appeared equivalent to adrenaline (epinephrine) in the management of human cardiac arrest (N=240), with, respectively 63 (78/124) vs 59% (68/116) ROSC (P=0.43), and 16 (20/124) vs 14% (16/116) survival to hospital discharge (P=0.52). In animal trials (N=669) vasopressin appeared instead significantly superior to both placebo (ROSC, respectively 93 [98/105] vs 19% [14/72], P<0.001) or adrenaline (ROSC, respectively 84 [225/268] vs 52% [117/224], P<0.001). In conclusion, vasopressin is superior to both placebo or adrenaline in animal models of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Evidence in humans is still limited and confidence intervals estimates too wide to reliably confirm or disprove results obtained in experimental animal settings.

Neurological examination of critically ill patients: a pragmatic approach. Report of an ESICM expert panel

ObjectiveMany patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) have pre-existing or acquired neurological disorders which significantly affect their short-term and long-term outcomes. The ESICM NeuroIntensive Care Section convened an expert panel to establish a pragmatic approach to neurological examination (NE) of the critically ill patient.MethodsThe group conducted a comprehensive review of published studies on the NE of patients with coma, delirium, seizures and neuromuscular weakness in critically ill patients. Quality of data was rated as high, moderate, low, or very low, and final recommendations as strong, weak, or best practice.Summary and ConclusionsThe group made the following recommendations: (1) NE should be performed in all patients admitted to ICUs; (2) NE should include an assessment of consciousness and cognition, brainstem function, and motor function; (3) sedation should be managed to maximize the clinical detection of neurological dysfunction, except in patients with reduced intracranial compliance in whom withdrawal of sedation may be deleterious; (4) the need for additional tests, including neurophysiological and neuroradiological investigations, should be guided by the NE; (5) selected features of the NE have prognostic value which should be considered in well-defined patient populations.

A survey of the in-hospital response to cardiac arrest on general wards in the hospitals of Rome

OBJECTIVE To investigate the response to cardiac arrest in general wards. METHODS Direct interview with the cardiac arrest team (CAT) members in 32 hospitals in Rome, Italy. RESULTS The majority of CATs are activated by telephone but only two (6%) hospitals have a dedicated telephone number for emergency calls. The CAT always includes a physician, who is usually an anaesthesiologist (30 hospitals, 94%), and usually includes one or two other members (23 hospitals, 72%). In 21 hospitals (65%) there is less than one defibrillator per floor but in only six hospitals (19%), CATs are equipped with defibrillators. Resuscitation guidelines are adopted by 15 teams (47%). The Utstein style of data collection is used in only one hospital. The most common problems reported by the CATs are: insufficient training of ward personnel (29 hospitals, 91%), insufficient staff (19 hospitals, 59%) and insufficient equipment (18 hospitals, 56%). Average maximum arrival time for the CAT to arrive is 220 s, but varies significantly between single-building and the multiple-building hospitals (88 vs. 390 s; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The majority of the cardiac arrest teams have acceptable response times, but their efficiency may be impaired by the lack of staff, equipment and co-ordination with the ward personnel. CAT members identified a strong need for BLS training of ward personnel. More widespread introduction of standard protocols for resuscitation and reporting of cardiac arrest are necessary to evaluate aspects that may need improvement.