Key PointsQuestionIn patients with witnessed refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, does early intra-arrest transport, extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and invasive assessment and treatment improve outcomes compared with standard resuscitation?FindingsIn this randomized clinical trial that included 256 patients, survival with neurologically favorable outcome (Cerebral Performance Category 1-2) at 180 days occurred in 31.5% in the invasive strategy group and 22.0% in the standard resuscitation group, a difference that was not statistically significant.MeaningAmong patients with refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, the bundle of early intra-arrest transport, extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and invasive assessment and treatment did not significantly improve survival with neurologically favorable outcome at 180 days compared with standard resuscitation, although the trial was possibly underpowered to detect a clinically relevant difference.

Severity of metabolic acidosis, state of consciousness, and serum ethanol on admission were the only significant parameters associated with mortality. The type of dialysis or antidote did not appear to affect mortality. Recommendations that were issued for hospital triage of fomepizole administration allowed conservation of valuable antidote in this massive poisoning outbreak for those patients most in need.

Recently diagnosed immunodeficiency is associated with a much better prognosis in ECMO-treated severe ARDS. However, low 6-month survival of our large cohort of immunocompromised patients supports restricting ECMO to patients with realistic oncological/therapeutic prognoses, acceptable functional status and few pre-ECMO mortality-risk factors.

Aims Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) became a rare mechanical complication of myocardial infarction in the era of percutaneous coronary interventions but is associated with extreme mortality in patients who present with cardiogenic shock (CS). Promising outcomes have been reported with the use of circulatory support allowing haemodynamic stabilization, followed by delayed repair. Therefore, we analysed our experience with an early use of Veno‐Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (V‐A ECMO) for postinfarction VSR. Methods and results We conducted a retrospective search of institutional database for patients presenting with postinfarction VSR from January 2007 to June 2016. Data from 31 consecutive patients (mean age 69.5 ± 9.1 years) who were admitted to hospital were analysed. Seven out of 31 patients with VSR who were in refractory CS received V‐A ECMO support preoperatively. ECMO improved end‐organ perfusion with decreased lactate levels 24 hours after implantation (7.9 mmol/L vs. 1.6 mmol/L, p = 0.01), normalized arterial pH (7.25 vs. 7.40, p < 0.04), improved mean arterial pressure (64 mmHg vs. 83 mmHg, p < 0.01) and lowered heart rate (115/min vs. 68/min, p < 0.01). Mean duration of ECMO support was 12 days, 5 out of 7 patients underwent surgical repair, 4 were weaned from ECMO, 3 survived 30 days and 2 survived more than 1 year. The most frequent complication (5 patients) and the cause of death (3 patients) was bleeding. Conclusions Our experience suggests that early V‐A ECMO in patients with VSR and refractory CS might prevent irreversible multiorgan failure by improved end‐organ perfusion. Bleeding complications remain an important limitation of this approach.