Clinical Question: Does a lower MAP target (60-65 mmHg) for ICU patients ≥ 65 years-old reduce 90-day mortality?

 

Methodology:

-Design: multicenter (across 65 UK ICUs), randomized clinical trial (not blinded), ultimately with 2598 patients

-Inclusion criteria: ICU patients ≥ 65 years-old receiving vasopressors for vasodilatory hypotension with adequate fluid resuscitation

-Exclusion criteria: vasopressors being solely used for bleeding or acute RV/LV failure or post-cardiopulmonary bypass vasoplegia, ongoing treatment for brain/spinal cord injury, death perceived as imminent

-Intervention:

• Permissive hypotension group – MAP target of 60-65 mmHg
• Usual care group – received vasopressors at discretion of treating clinician
• Choice of vasopressor (norepi, vaso, terlipressin, phenylephrine, epi, dopamine, and metaraminol) left to discretion of treating clinician

 

Results:

-Patients in the permissive hypotension group had a lower exposure to vasopressors compared with those in the usual care group

• median duration 33 hours compared with 38 hours (difference, –5.0; 95% CI, –7.8 to –2.2)
• mean duration, 46.0 hours compared with 55.9 hours (mean difference, –9.9 hours; 95% CI, –14.3 to –5.5)

-Mean MAP was on average 6 mmHg lower in permissive hypotension group

-At 90 days, there was no statistically significant difference in all-cause mortality

• 500 deaths (41.0%) among of 1221 patients in the permissive hypotension group compared with 544 (43.8%) among 1242 patients in the usual care group (absolute risk difference, −2.85%, 95% CI, −6.75 to 1.05; P = .15)

-No significant difference in mean duration of ICU and hospital stay, duration and days alive and free from advanced respiratory and renal support to day 28

-No significant different in number of serious adverse events (severe acute renal failure, supraventricular and ventricular cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial injury, mesenteric ischemia, and cardiac arrest)

 

Bottom line:

A lower MAP goal of 60-65 mm Hg appears to be safe for ICU patients ≥ 65 years-old being treated for vasodilatory hypotension

References

Lamontagne F, Richards-belle A, Thomas K, et al. Effect of Reduced Exposure to Vasopressors on 90-Day Mortality in Older Critically Ill Patients With Vasodilatory Hypotension: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2020;