Randomized trial of the i-gel supraglottic airway device versus tracheal intubation during out of hospital cardiac arrest (AIRWAYS-2): Patient outcomes at three and six months

Resuscitation. 2020 Dec:157:74-82. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2020.09.026. Epub 2020 Oct 1.

Abstract

Aim: The AIRWAYS-2 cluster randomised controlled trial compared the i-gel supraglottic airway device (SGA) with tracheal intubation (TI) as the first advanced airway management (AAM) strategy used by Emergency Medical Service clinicians (paramedics) treating adult patients with non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). It showed no difference between the two groups in the primary outcome of modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 30 days/hospital discharge. This paper reports outcomes to 6 months.

Methods: Paramedics from four ambulance services in England were randomised 1:1 to use an i-gel SGA (759 paramedics) or TI (764 paramedics) as their initial approach to AAM. Adults who had a non-traumatic OHCA and were attended by a participating paramedic were enrolled automatically under a waiver of consent. Survivors were invited to complete questionnaires at three and six months after OHCA. Outcomes were analysed using regression methods.

Results: 767/9296 (8.3%) enrolled patients survived to 30 days/hospital discharge and 317/767 survivors (41.3%) consented and were followed-up to six months. No significant differences were found between the two treatment groups in the primary outcome measure (mRS score: 3 months: odds ratio (OR) for good recovery (i-gel/TI, OR) 0.89, 95% CI 0.69-1.14; 6 months OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.71-1.16). EQ-5D-5L scores were also similar between groups and sensitivity analyses did not alter the findings.

Conclusion: There were no statistically significant differences between the TI and i-gel groups at three and six months. We therefore conclude that the initially reported finding of no significant difference between groups at 30 days/hospital discharge was sustained when the period of follow-up was extended to six months.

Keywords: Airway management; Health-related quality of life; Heart arrest; Laryngeal mask; Survival rate; Tracheal intubation.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Airway Management
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation*
  • Emergency Medical Services*
  • England
  • Humans
  • Intubation, Intratracheal
  • Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest* / therapy