Bernard 2002.

Study characteristics
Methods	Study type: RCT Aim of the study: efficacy Participating sites: 4 university and community hospitals in Melbourne, Australia Language: English Start date, end date: September 1996 to June 1999
Participants	Number randomised: 43 (intervention); 34 (control) Inclusion criteria: an initial cardiac rhythm of VF at time of arrival of the ambulance, successful ROSC, persistent coma after the ROSC and transfer to 1 of 4 participating emergency departments Exclusion criteria: non‐cardiac causes including trauma, drowning, hanging and intoxication; predicted death within 72 hours; contraindications to TTM including haemorrhage, fatal arrhythmia and sepsis; baseline CPC score 3; presence of an advanced directive to withhold or withdraw life‐sustaining treatment or lack of informed consent Mean/median age: 66 years Women: 33% Cardiac arrest location: out‐of‐hospital Cause of cardiac arrest: any Primary cardiac rhythm: VF Witnessed cardiac arrest: 95% Bystander CPR: 59% Timing cardiac arrest (out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest) (minutes): collapse to call: 2.1 (SD 1.9) (intervention); 2.7 (SD 3.0) (control) call to arrival of EMS: 7.9 (SD 3.1) (intervention); 8.3 (SD 2.8) (control) collapse to ROSC 26.5 (SD 12.9) (intervention); 25.0 (SD 8.9) (control) Temperature on admission/at start of cooling: 35 °C (intervention); 35.5 °C (control) Subgroups reported: none
Interventions	Prehospital cooling: yes, 56% Target temperature intervention: 33 °C Duration of TTM: 12 hours Was intervention initiated within 2 hours of ROSC? yes Was target temperature reached within 4 hours of ROSC? yes Co‐interventions? yes Description of control group management: target core temperature 37 °C. Passive rewarming used in these participants if there was mild spontaneous hypothermia on arrival. Cooling rates: n.i. Was rewarming controlled? yes Rewarming: passive after 12 hours, active after 18 hours
Outcomes	Survival with good neurological function to be sent home or to a rehabilitation facility at discharge In‐hospital death Haemodynamic, biochemical and haematological effects of hypothermia Best ever reached CPC during hospital stay and CPC discharge was provided by the investigators.
Control group treatment	Target core temperature 37 °C. Passive rewarming used in these participants if there was mild spontaneous hypothermia on arrival.
Funding source
Notes	Randomisation: odd and even days