Urine Output Changes During Postcardiac Arrest Therapeutic Hypothermia

While commonly described, no studies have characterized cold-induced diuresis or rewarm anti-diuresis occurring during the delivery of therapeutic hypothermia (TH). We sought to determine urine output changes during the provision of postcardiac arrest TH. We analyzed clinical data on patients receiving postcardiac arrest TH at an urban tertiary care center. TH measures included cooling by cold intravenous fluid, external ice packs, and a commercial external temperature management system. TH treatment was divided into phases: (1) induction, (2) maintenance, (3) rewarm, and (4) post-rewarm. The primary outcome measure was the mean urine output rate (mL/hour). We compared urine output rates between TH phases using a Generalized Estimating Equations model, defining urine output rate (mL/hour) as the dependent variable and TH phase (induction, maintenance, rewarm, and post-rewarm) as the primary exposure variable. We adjusted for age, sex, initial ECG rhythm, location of arrest, shock, acute kidney injury, rate of intravenous fluid input, and body mass index. Complete urine output data were available on 33 patients. Mean urine output rates during induction, maintenance, rewarm, and post-rewarm phases were 157 mL/hour (95% CI: 104-210), 103 mL/hour (95% CI: 82-125), 70 mL/hour (95% CI: 51-88), and 91 mL/hour (95% CI: 65-117), respectively. Compared with the post-rewarm phase, adjusted urine output was higher during the TH induction phase (output rate difference +51 mL/hour; 95% CI: 3-99). Adjusted urine output during the maintenance and rewarm phases did not differ from the post-rewarm phase. In this preliminary study, we observed modest increases in urine output during TH induction. We did not observe urine output changes during TH maintenance or rewarming.