• Joshua C Reynolds, Clifton W Callaway, Samar R El Khoudary, Charity G Moore, René J Alvarez, and Jon C Rittenberger.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• J Intensive Care Med. 2009 May 1;24(3):179-86.

ObjectivesDetermine if clinical parameters of resuscitated patients predict coronary angiography (CATH) performance and if receiving CATH after cardiac arrest is associated with outcome.IntroductionCATH is associated with survival in patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) from ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia(VF/VT). Its effect on outcome in other cohorts is unknown.MethodsChart review of resuscitated cardiac arrest patients between 2005 and 2007.Exclusion Criteriaimmediate withdrawal of care, hemodynamic collapse, or neurologic exam under sedation. Clinical parameters included Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) arrest location, presenting rhythm, age, and acute ischemic ECG changes (new left bundle branch block or ST-elevation myocardial infarction-STEMI). Logistic regression identified clinical parameters predicting CATH. The association between CATH and good outcome (discharge home or to acute rehabilitation facility) was determined using logistic regression adjusting for likelihood of receiving CATH via propensity score.ResultOf the 241 patients, 96 (40%) received CATH. Significant disease (>or=70% stenosis) of >or=1 coronary arteries was identified in 69% of patients including 57% of patients without acute ischemic ECG changes. Unadjusted predictors of CATH were sex, method of arrival, OHCA, presenting rhythm, acute ischemic ECG changes, and GCS. Propensity adjusted logistic regression demonstrated an association between CATH and good outcome (OR 2.16; 95% CI 1.12, 4.19; P<0.02).ConclusionCATH is more likely to be performed in certain patients and identifies a significant number of high-grade stenoses in this population. Receiving CATH was independently associated with good outcome.

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