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Cardiac Arrest - Ultrasound Detection of Occult Perfusion

Bedside Ultrasound Detection of Occult Prefusion in the Emergency Department Following Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients presenting following out-of-hospital atraumatic cardiac arrest

Exclusion Criteria:

* Resuscitation ended due to end-of-life decisions
* Documented allergy to ultrasound gel
* Technical malfunction of ultrasound machine during imaging that prevents use
* Ultrasound machine unable to record images
* Cardiac Ultrasound not performed during first, second or third pause in CPR AND vascular Ultrasound not performed during first, second or third pause in CPR

About the study

The goal of this study is to describe the population of patients presenting after out of hospital cardiac arrest with occult perfusion, defined as a patient without a palpable pulse but with some evidence of pulsatile arterial flow. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* To measure the prevalence of patients of patients presenting to the emergency department after out of hospital cardiac arrest with occult perfusion * To measure the association between occult perfusion and survival * Compare survival between patients with occult perfusion that were treated as pulseless by ACLS interventions vs those treated as hypotensive

Researchers will describe the percentage of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest presenting to the emergency department without a pulse but with occult perfusion. Researchers will also compare survival endpoints (ROSC, Survival to hospital Admission, and Survival to Hospital Discharge) in pulseless patients with occult perfusion treated with ACLS interventions only and pulseless patients with occult perfusion treated as if they had pulsatile arterial flow.

Participants will undergo resuscitation based on decisions by the clinical team who incorporate echo and/or vascular ultrasound during the first three rounds of CPR. The resuscitation will continue until the patient demonstrates return of spontaneous circulation or until the clinical team halts resuscitative efforts due to futility.

Sponsor: University of Massachusetts, Worcester · Participants: 1,400 · Started: Oct 1, 2026

Contact the study team

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07897370

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
• Low Blood Pressure
• Sudden Cardiac Arrest

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Nov 15, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.