The association between time to extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation and outcome in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is considered for potentially reversible out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, the association between time to ECPR and outcome has not been well established.

Between June 2014 and December 2017, we enrolled 34 754 OHCA patients in a multicentre, prospective fashion [Japanese Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM)-OHCA registry]. After the application of exclusion criteria, 695 OHCA patients who underwent ECPR for cardiac causes were eligible for this study. We investigated the association between the call-to-ECPR interval and favourable neurological outcome (cerebral performance category 1 or 2) at 30 days. Seventy-seven patients (11%) had a favourable neurological outcome at 30 days. The call-to-ECPR intervals in these patients were significantly shorter than in those with an unfavourable neurological outcome [49 (41–58) vs. 58 (48–68) min, respectively, P < 0.001]. A longer call-to-ECPR interval was associated with a smaller proportion of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (P = 0.034) or target temperature management (TTM) (P < 0.001). Stepwise multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the call-to-ECPR interval was an independent predictor of favourable neurological outcome [odds ratio (OR) 0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94–0.99, P = 0.001], as were age, male gender, initial shockable rhythm, transient return of spontaneous circulation in the prehospital setting, arterial pH at hospital arrival, PCI (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.14–4.66, P = 0.019), and TTM (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.13–4.62, P = 0.019).

A shorter call-to-ECPR interval and implementation of PCI and TTM predicted a favourable neurological outcome at 30 days in OHCA patients who underwent ECPR for cardiac causes.