Targeted temperature management after cardiac arrest with anaphylaxis

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Emergency Medicine
• Cardiology

Background:

• Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction, with fatal outcomes uncommon but possible.
• Cardiac arrest due to anaphylaxis is rare, leading to uncertainty regarding the efficacy of targeted temperature management (TTM).

Observation:

• A 63-year-old male experienced cardiac arrest after consuming peaches.
• He required 11 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation for return of spontaneous circulation but remained unresponsive with fixed dilated pupils.

Findings:

• Therapeutic hypothermia was initiated for 24 hours following established protocols.
• The patient was successfully cooled and rewarmed, demonstrating a positive neurological recovery.

Implications:

• The patient achieved full neurological recovery without deficits, suggesting TTM is a viable treatment for anaphylaxis-induced cardiac arrest.
• This case highlights the potential benefit of TTM in improving outcomes for survivors of anaphylaxis-related cardiac arrest.