Report From J-PULSE Multicenter Registry of Patients With Shock-Resistant Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Treated With Nifekalant Hydrochloride

Background: Nifekalant hydrochloride (NIF) is an intravenous class-III antiarrhythmic agent that purely blocks the K+-channel without inhibiting beta-adrenergic receptors. The present study was designed to investigate the feasibility of NIF as a life-saving therapy for out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation (VF). Methods and Results: The Japanese Population-based Utstein-style study with basic and advanced Life Support Education study was a multi-center registry study with 4 participating institutes located at the northern urban area of Osaka, Japan. Eligible patients were those treated with NIF because of out-of-hospital VF refractory to 3 or more precordial shocks and intravenous epinephrine. Between February 2006 and February 2007, 17 patients were enrolled for the study. The time from a call for emergency medical service to the first shock was 12 (6-26)min. The time from the first shock to the NIF administration was 25.5 (9-264) min and the usage dose of NIF was 25 (15-210) mg. When excluding 3 patients in whom percutaneous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was applied before NIF administration, the rate of return of spontaneous circulation was 86% and the rate of admission alive to the hospital was 79%. One patient developed torsade de pointes. Conclusions: Intravenous administration of NIF seems to be feasible as a potential therapy for advanced cardiac life-support in patients with out-of-hospital VF, and therefore further study is warranted. (Circ J 2010; 74: 2308-2313)