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Higher versus lower mean arterial blood pressure after cardiac arrest and resuscitation (MAP-CARE): A protocol for a randomized clinical trial

Niemelä, V.H. ; Nielsen, N. LU orcid ; Lilja, G. LU ; Levin, H. LU ; Moseby-Knappe, M. LU ; Ceric, A. LU ; Holgersson, J. LU ; Düring, J. LU orcid ; Lybeck, A. LU orcid and Unden, J. LU , et al. (2025) In Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica 69(6).
Abstract
Background: In patients resuscitated after cardiac arrest, a higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) may increase cerebral perfusion and attenuate hypoxic brain injury. Here we present the protocol of the mean arterial pressure after cardiac arrest and resuscitation (MAP-CARE) trial aiming to investigate the influence of MAP targets on patient outcomes. Methods: MAP-CARE is one component of the Sedation, Temperature and Pressure after Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation (STEPCARE) 2 x 2 x 2 factorial randomized trial. The MAP-CARE trial is an international, multicenter, parallel-group, investigator-initiated, superiority trial designed to test the hypothesis that targeting a higher (>85 mmHg) (intervention) versus a lower (>65 mmHg)... (More)
Background: In patients resuscitated after cardiac arrest, a higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) may increase cerebral perfusion and attenuate hypoxic brain injury. Here we present the protocol of the mean arterial pressure after cardiac arrest and resuscitation (MAP-CARE) trial aiming to investigate the influence of MAP targets on patient outcomes. Methods: MAP-CARE is one component of the Sedation, Temperature and Pressure after Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation (STEPCARE) 2 x 2 x 2 factorial randomized trial. The MAP-CARE trial is an international, multicenter, parallel-group, investigator-initiated, superiority trial designed to test the hypothesis that targeting a higher (>85 mmHg) (intervention) versus a lower (>65 mmHg) (comparator) MAP after resuscitation from cardiac arrest reduces 6-month mortality (primary outcome). Trial participants are adults with sustained return of spontaneous circulation who are comatose following resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The two other components of the STEPCARE trial evaluate sedation and temperature control strategies. Apart from the STEPCARE trial interventions, all other aspects of general intensive care will be according to the local practices of the participating site. Neurological prognostication will be performed according to European Resuscitation Council and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine guidelines by a physician blinded to allocation group. The sample size of 3500 participants provides 90% power with an alpha of 0.05 to detect a 5.6 absolute risk reduction in 6-month mortality, assuming a mortality of 60% in the control group. Secondary outcomes will be poor functional outcome 6 months after randomization, patient-reported overall health 6 months after randomization, and the proportion of participants with predefined severe adverse events. Conclusion: The MAP-CARE trial will investigate if targeting a higher MAP compared to a lower MAP during intensive care of adults who are comatose following resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest reduces 6-month mortality. © 2025 The Author(s). Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. (Less)
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publication status
published
subject
keywords
blood pressure, cardiac arrest, randomized clinical trial, target, Adult, Arterial Pressure, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Coma, Female, Heart Arrest, Humans, Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, Resuscitation, Treatment Outcome, sedative agent, adult, all cause mortality, Article, cognition, deep vein thrombosis, follow up, heart arrest, human, intensive care, mean arterial pressure, metabolic disorder, mortality, out of hospital cardiac arrest, physician, randomized controlled trial (topic), Rankin scale, resuscitation, return of spontaneous circulation, risk reduction, sedation, temperature, treatment outcome, arterial pressure, clinical trial, coma, controlled study, etiology, female, multicenter study, pathophysiology, physiology, procedures, randomized controlled trial, therapy
in
Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
volume
69
issue
6
article number
e70040
publisher
Blackwell Munksgaard
external identifiers
  • scopus:105005774811
  • pmid:40392139
ISSN
0001-5172
DOI
10.1111/aas.70040
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fedaeb27-3bba-49f4-90cd-182a0f914006
date added to LUP
2026-03-10 15:14:46
date last changed
2026-03-11 03:28:11
@article{fedaeb27-3bba-49f4-90cd-182a0f914006,
  abstract     = {{Background: In patients resuscitated after cardiac arrest, a higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) may increase cerebral perfusion and attenuate hypoxic brain injury. Here we present the protocol of the mean arterial pressure after cardiac arrest and resuscitation (MAP-CARE) trial aiming to investigate the influence of MAP targets on patient outcomes. Methods: MAP-CARE is one component of the Sedation, Temperature and Pressure after Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation (STEPCARE) 2 x 2 x 2 factorial randomized trial. The MAP-CARE trial is an international, multicenter, parallel-group, investigator-initiated, superiority trial designed to test the hypothesis that targeting a higher (>85 mmHg) (intervention) versus a lower (>65 mmHg) (comparator) MAP after resuscitation from cardiac arrest reduces 6-month mortality (primary outcome). Trial participants are adults with sustained return of spontaneous circulation who are comatose following resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The two other components of the STEPCARE trial evaluate sedation and temperature control strategies. Apart from the STEPCARE trial interventions, all other aspects of general intensive care will be according to the local practices of the participating site. Neurological prognostication will be performed according to European Resuscitation Council and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine guidelines by a physician blinded to allocation group. The sample size of 3500 participants provides 90% power with an alpha of 0.05 to detect a 5.6 absolute risk reduction in 6-month mortality, assuming a mortality of 60% in the control group. Secondary outcomes will be poor functional outcome 6 months after randomization, patient-reported overall health 6 months after randomization, and the proportion of participants with predefined severe adverse events. Conclusion: The MAP-CARE trial will investigate if targeting a higher MAP compared to a lower MAP during intensive care of adults who are comatose following resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest reduces 6-month mortality. © 2025 The Author(s). Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation.}},
  author       = {{Niemelä, V.H. and Nielsen, N. and Lilja, G. and Levin, H. and Moseby-Knappe, M. and Ceric, A. and Holgersson, J. and Düring, J. and Lybeck, A. and Unden, J. and Friberg, H. and Cronberg, T. and Skrifvars, M.B.}},
  issn         = {{0001-5172}},
  keywords     = {{blood pressure; cardiac arrest; randomized clinical trial; target; Adult; Arterial Pressure; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Coma; Female; Heart Arrest; Humans; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest; Resuscitation; Treatment Outcome; sedative agent; adult; all cause mortality; Article; cognition; deep vein thrombosis; follow up; heart arrest; human; intensive care; mean arterial pressure; metabolic disorder; mortality; out of hospital cardiac arrest; physician; randomized controlled trial (topic); Rankin scale; resuscitation; return of spontaneous circulation; risk reduction; sedation; temperature; treatment outcome; arterial pressure; clinical trial; coma; controlled study; etiology; female; multicenter study; pathophysiology; physiology; procedures; randomized controlled trial; therapy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  publisher    = {{Blackwell Munksgaard}},
  series       = {{Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica}},
  title        = {{Higher versus lower mean arterial blood pressure after cardiac arrest and resuscitation (MAP-CARE): A protocol for a randomized clinical trial}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aas.70040}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/aas.70040}},
  volume       = {{69}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}