Feasibility and Safety of Hydrogen Gas Inhalation for Post-Cardiac Arrest Syndrome – First-in-Human Pilot Study –

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen gas inhalation (HI) ameliorates cerebral and cardiac dysfunction in animal models of post-cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS). HI for human patients with PCAS has never been studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between January 2014 and January 2015, 21 of 107 patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest achieved spontaneous return of circulation. After excluding 16 patients with specific criteria, 5 patients underwent HI together with target temperature management (TTM). No undesirable effects attributable to HI were observed and 4 patients survived 90 days with a favorable neurological outcome. CONCLUSIONS: HI in combination with TTM is a feasible therapy for patients with PCAS. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1870-1873).