Exploring the safety and efficacy of targeted temperature management amongst infants with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to apparent life threatening events

Objective To explore the safety and efficacy of targeted temperature management amongst infants with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to an apparent life threatening event (ALTE) recruited to the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Paediatric Cardiac Arrest Out-of-Hospital trial. Methods Fifty-four infants (48 h to <1 year of age) with ALTE who received chest compressions for ≥2 min, were comatose, and required mechanical ventilation after return of circulation were included. Infants were randomised to therapeutic hypothermia (33 °C) (n = 26) or therapeutic normothermia (36.8 °C) (n = 28) within six hours of return of circulation. Outcomes included 12-month survival with Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales, Second Edition (VABS-II) score ≥70, 12-month survival, change in VABS-II score from pre-arrest to 12 months post-arrest, and select safety measures. Results Amongst infants with pre-arrest VABS-II ≥70 (n = 52), there was no difference in 12-month survival with VABS-II ≥70 between therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic normothermia groups (2/25 (8.0%) vs. 1/27 (3.7%); relative risk 2.16; 95% confidence interval 0.21–22.38, p = 0.60). Amongst all evaluable infants (n = 53), the change in VABS-II score from pre-arrest to 12 months post-arrest did not differ (p = 0.078) between therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic normothermia groups, nor did 12-month survival (5/26 (19.2%) vs. 1/27 (3.7%); relative risk 5.19; 95% confidence interval 0.65–41.50, p = 0.10). Conclusions Mortality was high amongst infants that were comatose after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to ALTE in both therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic normothermia treated groups. Functional status was markedly reduced among survivors. (ClinicalTrials.gov,