Immediate unselected coronary angiography versus delayed triage in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest without ST-segment elevation: Design and rationale of the TOMAHAWK trial

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Steffen Desch
  • Anne Freund
  • Tobias Graf
  • Stephan Fichtlscherer
  • Hendrik Haake
  • Michael Preusch
  • Fabian Hammer
  • Ibrahim Akin
  • Martin Christ
  • Christoph Liebetrau
  • Carsten Skurk
  • Stephan Steiner
  • Ingo Voigt
  • Roland Schmitz
  • Harald Mudra
  • Jakob Ledwoch
  • Niels Menck
  • Jan Horstkotte
  • Klaus Pels
  • Anna-Lena Lahmann
  • Sylvia Otto
  • Karsten Lenk
  • Marc-Alexander Ohlow
  • Peter Nordbeck
  • Uwe Zeymer
  • Alexander Jobs
  • Suzanne de Waha-Thiele
  • Denise Olbrich
  • Inke König
  • Kathrin Klinge
  • Holger Thiele

Patients experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) without ST-segment elevation are a heterogenic group with a variety of underlying causes. Up to one-third of patients display a significant coronary lesion compatible with myocardial infarction as OHCA trigger. There are no randomized data on patient selection and timing of invasive coronary angiography after admission. METHODS AND RESULTS: The TOMAHAWK trial randomly assigns 558 patients with return of spontaneous circulation after OHCA with no obvious extracardiac origin of cardiac arrest and no ST-segment elevation/left bundle-branch block on postresuscitation electrocardiogram to either immediate coronary angiography or initial intensive care assessment with delayed/selective angiography in a 1:1 ratio. The primary end point is 30-day all-cause mortality. Secondary analyses will be performed with respect to initial rhythm, electrocardiographic patterns, myocardial infarction as underlying cause, neurological outcome, as well as clinical and laboratory markers. Clinical follow-up will be performed at 6 and 12 months. Safety end points include bleeding and stroke. CONCLUSION: The TOMAHAWK trial will address the unresolved issue of timing and general indication of angiography after OHCA without ST-segment elevation.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAmerican Heart Journal
Volume209
Pages (from-to)20-28
Number of pages9
ISSN0002-8703
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

ID: 224655264