Temperature Control After In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Outcomes From the Discover In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Cohort

A temperature control strategy is strongly recommended for comatose in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survivors. We aimed to investigate variation in adherence to this recommendation and associations with outcomes, which have not been comprehensively assessed for IHCA.

Prospective observational cohort study with data collected from October 2023 to June 2024.

Multicenter, international (24 hospital systems, 46 enrolling hospitals).

Adults who suffered IHCA, survived initial resuscitation, and remained comatose and eligible for temperature control.

None.

The main exposure was documentation of a temperature control strategy in the first 24 hours after arrest. Outcomes were survival to hospital discharge (primary), use of temperature control therapy, fever (temperature ≥ 38°C), favorable functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale ≤ 3), and favorable neurologic outcome (Cerebral Performance Category score ≤ 2). Among 1006 enrolled patients, 615 (61.1%) remained comatose and were eligible for temperature control; of those, 273 (44.4%) had a documented temperature control strategy. A documented strategy was associated with higher adjusted odds of receiving a temperature control therapy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 21.3; 95% CI, 12.3-36.7; p < 0.01), and lower adjusted odds of fever in the first 24 hours after resuscitation (aOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43-0.92; p = 0.02). Having a strategy, compared with not, had no statistically significant association with survival (32.6% vs. 28.1%; aOR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.79-1.80; p = 0.42), favorable functional outcome (9.9% vs. 10.5%; aOR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.53-2.42; p = 0.74), or favorable neurologic outcome (12.8% vs. 12.3%; aOR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.63-2.12; p = 0.65). Hospital system specific proportions of temperature control strategy ranged from 0% to 100%.

Among comatose IHCA survivors, more than half received no documented temperature control strategy. Those with a strategy were less likely to have a fever and more likely to receive temperature control directed therapy, but showed no difference in survival, functional, or neurologic outcomes.