Leukocyte Filtration and Leukocyte Modulation Therapy during Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in a Porcine Model of Prolonged Cardiac Arrest
Creators: name: VanZalen, Jensyn
name: Nakashima, Takahiro
name: Phillips, Annie
name: Hill, Joseph
name: Westover, Angela
name: Lou, Liandi
name: Liao, Jinhui
name: Mergos, Joshua
name: Fogo, Garrett
name: Sanderson, Thomas
name: Stacey, William
name: Tiba, Mohamad Hakam
name: Humes, David
name: Bartlett, Robert
name: Rojas-Bena, Alvaro
name: Neumar, Robert
Publisher: name: Springer Nature
Year: 2024
Subjects: Animal models
Cardiac arrest
Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Inflammation
Leukocyte modulation
NETosis
Neutrophil extracellular traps
Animals
Heart Arrest
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Swine
Female
Disease Models, Animal
Male
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Leukocytes
Extracellular Traps
Leukocyte Reduction Procedures

description: Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is emerging as a feasible and effective rescue strategy for prolonged cardiac arrest (CA). However, prolonged total body ischemia and reperfusion can cause microvascular occlusion that prevents organ reperfusion and recovery of function. One hypothesized mechanism of microvascular “no-reflow” is leukocyte adhesion and formation of neutrophil extracellular traps. In this study we tested the hypothesis that a leukocyte filter (LF) or leukocyte modulation device (L-MOD) could reduce NETosis and improve recovery of heart and brain function in a swine model of prolonged cardiac arrest treated with ECPR. Thirty-six swine (45.5 ± 2.5 kg, evenly distributed sex) underwent 8 min of untreated ventricular fibrillation CA followed by 30 min of mechanical CPR with subsequent 8 h of ECPR. Two females were later excluded from analysis due to CPR complications. Swine were randomized to standard care (Control group), LF, or L-MOD at the onset of CPR. NET formation was quantified by serum dsDNA and citrullinated histone as well as immunofluorescence staining of the heart and brain for citrullinated histone in the microvasculature. Primary outcomes included recovery of cardiac function based on cardiac resuscitability score (CRS) and recovery of neurologic function based on the somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) N20 cortical response. In this model of prolonged CA treated with ECPR we observed significant increases in serum biomarkers of NETosis and immunohistochemical evidence of microvascular NET formation in the heart and brain that were not reduced by LF or L-MOD therapy. Correspondingly, there were no significant differences in CRS and SSEP recovery between Control, LF, and L-MOD groups 8 h after ECPR onset (CRS = 3.1 ± 2.7, 3.7 ± 2.6, and 2.6 ± 2.6 respectively; p = 0.606; and SSEP = 27.9 ± 13.0%, 36.7 ± 10.5%, and 31.2 ± 9.8% respectively, p = 0.194). In this model of prolonged CA treated with ECPR, the use of LF or L-MOD therapy during ECPR did not reduce microvascular NETosis or improve recovery of myocardial or brain function. The causal relationship between microvascular NETosis, no-reflow, and recovery of organ function after prolonged cardiac arrest treated with ECPR requires further investigation.