Hydrogen Gas Boosts Survival After Cardiac Arrest in Animal Study
- Authors
- Tai Yin, Lance B. Becker, Rishabh C. Choudhary, Ryosuke Takegawa, Muhammad Shoaib, Koichiro Shinozaki, Yusuke Endo, Koichiro Homma, Daniel M. Rolston, Shuhei Eguchi, Tadashi Ariyoshi, Asami Matsumoto, Kentaro Oka, Motomichi Takahashi, Tomoaki Aoki, Santiago J. Miyara, Mitsuaki Nishikimi, Junichi Sasaki, Junhwan Kim, Ernesto P. Molmenti, Kei Hayashida
- Journal
- Journal of Translational Medicine
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12967-021-03129-1
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- United States
- Health Condition
- Cardiac Arrest
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
In a rat study, inhaling hydrogen gas during a specialized heart-lung resuscitation procedure improved survival rates and brain function after cardiac arrest.
Key Finding
Rats treated with hydrogen gas combined with ECMO life-support had a 77.8% survival rate compared to 22.2% in the control group, and all hydrogen-treated animals recovered brain electrical activity while none in the control group did.
Summary
Researchers studied whether adding hydrogen gas to a life-support machine (ECMO) could help rats survive cardiac arrest. Rats were given 20 minutes without oxygen to simulate cardiac arrest, then treated with either the ECMO machine alone or ECMO plus hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas group had much higher survival rates and showed better brain electrical activity recovery, possibly because hydrogen reduced damage to blood vessel linings and excessive inflammation caused by the ECMO machine.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests hydrogen gas may help protect the body during extreme medical emergencies involving life-support machines, but these results cannot yet be applied to humans. Much more research, including human clinical trials, would be needed before hydrogen could be considered as a treatment for cardiac arrest patients. The findings are promising but very early-stage.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Despite the benefits of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in cohorts of selected patients with cardiac arrest (CA), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) includes an artificial oxygenation membrane and circuits that contact the circulating blood and induce…