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. 2018 Apr;10(4):2295-2302.
doi: 10.21037/jtd.2018.03.124.

Sodium bicarbonate on severe metabolic acidosis during prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study

Shin Ahn  1 , Youn-Jung Kim  1 , Chang Hwan Sohn  1 , Dong Woo Seo  1 , Kyoung Soo Lim  1 , Michael W Donnino  2 , Won Young Kim  1
Affiliations

Sodium bicarbonate on severe metabolic acidosis during prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study

Shin Ahn et al. J Thorac Dis. 2018 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Sodium bicarbonate administration during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is controversial. Current guidelines recommend sodium bicarbonate injection in patients with existing metabolic acidosis, but clinical trials, particularly, those involving patients with acidosis, are limited. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sodium bicarbonate administration in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients with severe metabolic acidosis during prolonged CPR.

Methods: Prospective, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled pilot trial was conducted between January 2015 and December 2015, at a single center emergency department (ED). After 10 minutes of CPR, patients who failed to achieve return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and with severe metabolic acidosis (pH<7.1 or bicarbonate <10 mEq/L) were enrolled. Sodium bicarbonate (n=25) or normal saline (n=25) were administered. The primary end point was sustained ROSC. The secondary end points were the change of acidosis and good neurologic survival.

Results: Sodium bicarbonate group had significant effect on pH (6.99 vs. 6.90, P=0.038) and bicarbonate levels (21.0 vs. 8.0 mEq/L, P=0.007). However, no significant differences showed between sodium bicarbonate and placebo groups in sustained ROSC (4.0% vs. 16.0%, P=0.349) or good neurologic survival at 1 month (0.0% vs. 4.0%, P=1.000).

Conclusions: The use of sodium bicarbonate improved acid-base status, but did not improve the rate of ROSC and good neurologic survival. We could not draw a conclusion, but our pilot data could be used to design a larger trial to verify the efficacy of sodium bicarbonate.

Trial registration: NCT02303548 (http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov).

Keywords: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); metabolic acidosis, sodium bicarbonate; out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA); outcomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study flow. DNR, do not resuscitate; ABGA, arterial blood gas analysis; ROSC, return of spontaneous circulation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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