Comparison between norepinephrine plus epinephrine and norepinephrine plus vasopressin after return of spontaneous circulation in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Abstract

There is insufficient evidence regarding the use of second-line vasopressors following norepinephrine administration in the post-resuscitation management of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the survival outcomes between norepinephrine plus epinephrine and norepinephrine plus vasopressin as vasopressor combinations after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in patients with OHCA. This retrospective observational study included data from a prospective multicenter registry. Adult patients with OHCA who achieved sustained ROSC and received vasopressor combinations of norepinephrine plus epinephrine or norepinephrine plus vasopressin were included in the study. The variable of interest was the vasopressor combination either norepinephrine plus epinephrine or norepinephrine plus vasopressin within 24 h from sustained ROSC. The primary outcome was survival to discharge. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted. Between October 2015 and June 2024, 901 patients were analyzed. Survival to discharge and good neurological outcome were significantly higher in the group with norepinephrine plus epinephrine than in the group with norepinephrine plus vasopressin (17.0% vs. 9.1%, p = 0.001, and 8.1% vs. 3.2%, p = 0.002, respectively). Norepinephrine plus vasopressin was independently associated with worse survival to discharge and neurological outcome compared to norepinephrine plus epinephrine, after adjusting for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.454, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.277–0.746, p = 0.002 and aOR 0.346, 95% CI 0.150–0.794, p = 0.012, respectively). These findings were maintained in multiple regression models and sensitivity analyses. Norepinephrine plus epinephrine administration within 24 h from sustained ROSC showed better survival to discharge than norepinephrine plus vasopressin in patients with OHCA. © The Author(s) 2025.