Assessment of Brain Damage Using Monitoring of Cerebral Oximetry Dynamics in Patients After Cardiac Arrest

What this Trial Is About

Sudden cardiac arrest is a major cause of death in Europe, and the recommended treatment includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator (AED). Successful survival depends on a chain of care that spans resuscitation and post-resuscitation treatment. This study aims to assess whether changes in brain oxygen levels, measured using cerebral oximetry, can be detected with simple tests and whether these changes align with other methods used to evaluate brain damage and neurological outcomes in patients after a primary out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Patients will undergo two tests to monitor cerebral oxygen saturation. The first test involves a controlled infusion of a drug that raises blood pressure to increase blood flow to the brain. This infusion will be given immediately after admission and stabilization, and then repeated at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after admission. The second test involves passively elevating the lower limbs to temporarily increase heart output and brain blood flow, performed at the same times as the infusion. Throughout hospitalization, a device will continuously monitor brain oxygen levels using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Participants will be closely monitored with cerebral oxygen saturation readings taken from enrollment until two days after admission. Researchers will also evaluate other clinical, electrophysiological, imaging, and biological assessments to compare with cerebral oxygen changes. The study will not use the test results to influence treatment decisions or predict patient outcomes. The goal is to demonstrate that these simple tests can provide meaningful data that correspond with other brain damage evaluations in this patient group.

Assessment of Brain Damage Using Monitoring of Cerebral Oximetry Dynamics in Patients After Cardiac Arrest