Objective
To determine whether end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2)-guided chest compression delivery improves survival over standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after prolonged asphyxial arrest.
Design
Preclinical randomized controlled study.
Setting
University animal research laboratory.
Subjects
1–2-week-old swine.
Interventions
After undergoing a 20-minute asphyxial arrest, animals received either standard or ETCO2-guided CPR. In the standard group, chest compression delivery was optimized by video and verbal feedback to maintain the rate, depth, and release within published guidelines. In the ETCO2-guided group, chest compression rate and depth were adjusted to obtain a maximal ETCO2 level without other feedback. CPR included 10 minutes of basic life support followed by advanced life support for 10 minutes or until return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).
Measurements and Main Results
Mean ETCO2 at 10 minutes of CPR was 34 ± 8 torr in the ETCO2 group (n=14) and 19 ± 9 torr in the standard group (n=14; p=0.0001). The ROSC rate was 7/14 (50%) in the ETCO2 group and 2/14 (14%) in the standard group (p=0.04). The chest compression rate averaged 143 ± 10/minute in the ETCO2 group and 102 ± 2/minute in the standard group (p<0.0001). Neither asphyxia-related hypercarbia nor epinephrine administration confounded the use of ETCO2-guided chest compression delivery. The response of the relaxation arterial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure to the initial epinephrine administration was greater in the ETCO2 group than in the standard group (p=0.01 and p=0.03, respectively). The prevalence of resuscitation-related injuries was similar between groups.
Conclusions
ETCO2-guided chest compression delivery is an effective resuscitation method that improves early survival after prolonged asphyxial arrest in this neonatal piglet model. Optimizing ETCO2 levels during CPR required that chest compression delivery rate exceed current guidelines. The use of physiologic feedback during CPR has the potential to provide optimized and individualized resuscitative efforts.