Background
Following resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), inflammatory markers are significantly elevated and associated with hemodynamic instability and organ dysfunction. Vasopressor support is recommended to maintain a mean arterial pressure (MAP) above 65 mmHg. Glucocorticoids have anti-inflammatory effects and may lower the need for vasopressors. This study aimed to assess the hemodynamic effects of prehospital high-dose glucocorticoid treatment in resuscitated comatose OHCA patients.

Methods
The STEROHCA trial was a randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial comparing one prehospital injection of methylprednisolone 250 mg with placebo immediately after resuscitated OHCA. In this sub-study, we included patients who remained comatose at admission and survived until intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The primary outcome was cumulated norepinephrine use from ICU admission until 48 h reported as mcg/kg/min. Secondary outcomes included hemodynamic status characterized by MAP, heart rate, vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS), and the VIS/MAP-ratio as well as cardiac function assessed by pulmonary artery catheter measurements. Linear mixed-model analyses were performed to evaluate mean differences between treatment groups at all follow-up times.

Results
A total of 114 comatose OHCA patients were included (glucocorticoid: n = 56, placebo: n = 58) in the sub-study. There were no differences in outcomes at ICU admission. From the time of ICU admission up to 48 h post-admission, patients in the glucocorticoid group cumulated a lower norepinephrine use (mean difference − 0.04 mcg/kg/min, 95% CI − 0.07 to − 0.01, p = 0.02). Moreover, after 12–24 h post-admission, the glucocorticoid group demonstrated a higher MAP with mean differences ranging from 6 to 7 mmHg (95% CIs from 1 to 12), a lower VIS (mean differences from − 4.2 to − 3.8, 95% CIs from − 8.1 to 0.3), and a lower VIS/MAP ratio (mean differences from − 0.10 to − 0.07, 95% CIs from − 0.16 to − 0.01), while there were no major differences in heart rate (mean differences from − 4 to − 3, 95% CIs from − 11 to 3). These treatment differences between groups were also present 30–48 h post-admission but to a smaller extent and with increased statistical uncertainty. No differences were found in pulmonary artery catheter measurements between groups.

Conclusions
Prehospital treatment with high-dose glucocorticoid was associated with reduced norepinephrine use in resuscitated OHCA patients.