# Optimizing Selection and Management of Cardiac Arrest Patients Treated with ECMO

> **NIH NIH K23** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2021 · $189,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This is an application for a K23 award for Dr. Joseph Tonna, an emergency medicine trained intensivist at the
University of Utah. Dr. Tonna is establishing himself as a young investigator in patient-oriented clinical
research in the application and validation of rescue therapies such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
(ECMO). This K23 award will provide Dr. Tonna with the support necessary to accomplish the following goals:
(1) to develop expertise in survey design and qualitative assessment to support clinical trials, (2) develop
expertise in community engagement and research ethics to improve the conduct and design of clinical
research, (3) to develop expertise in the design and implementation multi-center clinical trials, and (4) to
develop an independent clinical research career. To achieve these goals, Dr. Tonna has assembled a
mentoring team comprising a primary mentor, Dr. Heather Keenan, an intensivist and epidemiologist who has
performed large prospective outcome studies, and two co-mentors: Dr. Lance Becker, an emergency physician
and recognized leader in cardiac arrest research, and Dr. Jeffrey Botkin, an expert in research ethics and
community engagement. Dr. Tonna also has four advisors with expertise in clinical trials, ECMO, qualitative
assessments, survey design and community engagement.
The main therapy of cardiac arrest resuscitation is cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which has limited
efficacy. As many as 88% of patients in cardiac arrest die. Dr. Tonna’s research prepares for clinical trials of a
promising novel treatment in which ECMO is started during CPR (called extracorporeal CPR/eCPR). Dr. Tonna
will (Aim 1) characterize patient selection criteria and management practices for eCPR that are associated with
neurologically intact survival; (Aim 2) generate eCPR trial design selection criteria and management
acceptable to physicians; (Aim 3) determine trial design and protocol features for eCPR trials conducted with
an exception from informed consent that are acceptable to diverse communities. In Aim 1, Dr. Tonna will
analyze a national eCPR dataset, learning advanced statistical modeling. Findings will inform optimal design of
eCPR trials. In Aim 2, Dr. Tonna will interview practicing physicians to generate and administer a national
survey to determine the acceptability of eCPR trial elements. In Aim 3, Dr. Tonna will perform community
engagement to generate design and implementation strategies for future eCPR trials conducted using
exception from informed consent. Results of SA2 and SA3 will inform eCPR trials that are acceptable to
physicians and to diverse communities. This research will prepare Dr. Tonna to design and implement
scientifically rigorous and ethical eCPR trials.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10146458
- **Project number:** 5K23HL141596-04
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** Joseph Edward Tonna
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $189,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-06-15 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10146458

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10146458, Optimizing Selection and Management of Cardiac Arrest Patients Treated with ECMO (5K23HL141596-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10146458. Licensed CC0.

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