A retrospective study on the therapeutic effects of sodium bicarbonate for adult in-hospital cardiac arrest

Abstract

Abstract To investigate whether the effects of sodium bicarbonate (SB) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) would be influenced by blood pH and administration timing. Adult patients experiencing in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) from 2006 to 2015 were retrospectively screened. Early intra-arrest blood gas data were obtained within 10 min of CPR. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and generalised additive models were used for effect estimation and data exploration, respectively. A total of 1060 patients were included. Only 59 patients demonstrated favourable neurological status at hospital discharge. Blood pH ≤ 7.18 was inversely associated with favourable neurological outcome (odds ratio [OR], 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11–0.52; p value 7.18; OR 1.56; 95% CI 1.01–2.41; p value = 0.05). SB should not be empirically administered for patients with IHCA since its effects may be influenced by blood pH and administration timing.