Echocardiographic left ventricular systolic dysfunction early after resuscitation from cardiac arrest does not predict mortality or vasopressor requirements.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Echocardiographic abnormalities are common after resuscitation from cardiac arrest. The association between echocardiographic findings with vasopressor requirements and mortality are not well described. We sought to determine the associations between echocardiographic abnormalities and mortality, vasopressor requirements and organ failure after cardiac arrest.

METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 55 adult subjects undergoing transthoracic echocardiography within 24h after resuscitation from cardiac arrest. We evaluated the association between 2D echocardiographic and Doppler measurements and mortality, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores and vasopressor requirements.

RESULTS: Inpatient mortality was 60%. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 43.6%; LVEF was <40% in 36% of subjects. None of the measured echocardiographic parameters (including LVEF) was significantly associated with inpatient mortality (all p>0.1). Subjects with LVEF <40% more often had shockable arrest rhythms and patients resuscitated from shockable rhythms had lower mean LVEF (36.2% vs. 52.3%, p=0.001). There was no correlation between markers of right and left ventricular systolic or diastolic function (including LVEF and Doppler parameters) with vasopressor requirements, lactate levels or SOFA scores.

CONCLUSION: Echocardiographic parameters (including LVEF) were not associated with inpatient mortality after cardiac arrest. Vasopressor requirements and organ failure severity were not associated with multiple echocardiographic markers of systolic function.