A retrospective study on the therapeutic effects of sodium bicarbonate for adult in-hospital cardiac arrest.

To investigate whether the effects of sodium bicarbonate (SB) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) would be influenced by blood pH and administration timing. Adult patients experiencing in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) from 2006 to 2015 were retrospectively screened. Early intra-arrest blood gas data were obtained within 10 min of CPR. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and generalised additive models were used for effect estimation and data exploration, respectively. A total of 1060 patients were included. Only 59 patients demonstrated favourable neurological status at hospital discharge. Blood pH ≤ 7.18 was inversely associated with favourable neurological outcome (odds ratio [OR], 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11-0.52; p value 7.18; OR 1.56; 95% CI 1.01-2.41; p value = 0.05). SB should not be empirically administered for patients with IHCA since its effects may be influenced by blood pH and administration timing.