Salma Charabi - PhD Scholarship 2025
Project summary:
Ketamine as early neuroprotective agent following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (the KETOHCA trial)
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a critical emergency with a dismal prognosis. Even after successful resuscitation, less than 50% of patients survive beyond 30 days. The poor outcome is mainly driven by brain injury caused by lack of oxygen. The KETOHCA trial hypothesizes that ketamine, given immediately after resuscitation, can mitigate brain injury, translating into improved survival and neurological recovery.
Project Title
Ketamine as early neuroprotective agent following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (the KETOHCA trial)
Background
During cardiac arrest, the brain is deprived of oxygen, which may cause brain damage even after the heart is restarted. Current brain-protective strategies are initiated after hospital arrival, which may be too late to prevent significant damage. Ketamine and propofol are widely used sedatives after resuscitation. Recent studies suggest that ketamine may offer better brain protection and support circulatory stability.
Aim
To investigate whether ketamine, given immediately after resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, reduces brain injury and improves survival and recovery compared to propofol.
Methods
KETOHCA (KETamine to Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest) is a randomized controlled trial enrolling 282 unconscious adults resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest throughout three of the five Danish regions. Participants will receive either ketamine or propofol prior to hospital arrival. Brain injury will be measured with a blood test after 48 hours, and survival and recovery will be assessed at discharge and after six months.
Preliminary results
Enrollment began in December 2024. Since then, 125 patients have been successfully included in the trial.
Salma Charabi
- MD
- University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Main supervisor:
Professor, MD Christian Hassager – The Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, The Heart Centre, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
Associate Professor, MD Jesper Kjærgaard – The Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, The Heart Centre, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
Professor, MD Jacob Møller – The Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, The Heart Centre, Rigshospitalet, Denmark; Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
PhD, MD Laust Obling – The Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, The Heart Centre, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
Professor, MD Søren Mikkelsen – The Mobile Emergency Care Unit in Odense, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
Associate Professor, MD Henrik Schmidt – Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
Professor, MD Jacob Steinmetz – Department of Anesthesiology and Trauma Centre, Rigshospitalet Denmark; Danish Air Ambulance, Aarhus, Denmark
MD, Anders Damm-Hejmdal - Copenhagen Emergency Medical Services, Copenhagen, Denmark
Professor, MD Fredrik Folke - Department of Cardiology, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Gentofte, Denmark