Nutrition During Targeted Temperature Management After Cardiac Arrest: Observational Study of Neurological Outcomes and Nutrition Tolerance.

Background: Whether providing nutrition support is beneficial or deleterious during targeted temperature management (TTM) after cardiac arrest is unclear. We therefore performed a retrospective observational study to determine whether early nutrition was beneficial or deleterious during TTM.

Methods: We retrospectively studied patients admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) between 2008 and 2014 after successfully resuscitated cardiac arrest. We compared the group given nutrition within 48 hours after ICU admission (E+ group) to the group given nutrition later on or not at all (E- group).

Results: Of the 203 included patients, 143 were in the E+ group and 60 in the E- group. The E+ group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with a good 3-month neurological outcome (42.7% vs 16.7%, P < 0.001). The difference remained significant after adjustment on a propensity score (odds ratio, 3.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.48-8.14; P = 0.004). The cumulative energy deficit for an energy goal of 20 kcal/kg/d from admission to day 7 was significantly lower in the E+ group (3304 ± 2863 kcal vs 5017 ± 2655 kcal, P < 0.001). Within the E+ group, the subgroups with nutrition initiation when body temperature was <36°C vs ≥36°C were not significantly different regarding the frequencies of early-onset pneumonia, ventilator-associated pneumonia, vomiting, and prokinetic drug use (all P-values > 0.05).

Conclusions: Early nutrition after cardiac arrest during TTM appears safe and may be associated with better neurological outcomes. These findings warrant a randomized controlled trial to resolve the remaining issues.