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NCT Number: NCT07818785

The Variation in Electrode Configuration for Termination of Out-of-Hospital Rhythms That Are Shockable in Cardiac Arrest Trial

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two defibrillator pad placements, one where pads are placed on the front of the chest and back (anterior-posterior [AP]) and one where the pads are placed on the front and side of the chest (anterior-lateral [AL]), for the treatment of cardiac arrest. Both pad placement locations are recommended for use by the American Heart Association (AHA) and International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) and are used in standard treatment. The investigators are hoping to find out if one pad position is more effective than the other in the treatment of cardiac arrest.

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Key information

Conditions

Cardiac Arrest (CA) Cardiovascular Diseases Heart Arrest Heart Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Emergency medical services (EMS)-treated non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Exclusion criteria

  • ROSC at EMS arrival (e.g., bystander AED shock with ROSC prior to EMS care) without rearrest during EMS care
  • Known prisoners
  • Known pregnant patients
  • Known pediatric patients (treated under the pediatric algorithm, generally <15 years)
  • Known preexisting do-not-resuscitate orders limiting care

Treatment and study plan

defibrillator electrode pads

Device

Application of defibrillator electrode pads to be used in cardiac arrest treatment

Primary outcomes

  1. Post-Shock Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC)

    Time frame: day 1

    Any palpable pulse documented at any time after the first EMS shock

Secondary outcomes

  1. Time to first rhythm analysis

    Time frame: day 1

    Time from EMS arrival on-scene for non-EMS witnessed arrests and first rhythm analysis by the defibrillator

  2. Time to initial shock

    Time frame: day 1

    Time from EMS arrival on-scene for non-EMS witnessed arrests and initial shock by EMS

  3. Total EMS shocks

    Time frame: day 1

    Total shocks given by EMS

  4. Time to ROSC

    Time frame: day 1

    Time to ROSC from initial shock with competing risks (e.g. termination of resuscitation, pad change, double sequential external defibrillation use)

  5. Survival to hospital admission

    Time frame: day 1

    Survival to hospital admission

  6. Survival to hospital discharge

    Time frame: through study completion, an average of 7 days

    Survival to hospital discharge

  7. Survival to hospital discharge with favorable outcome

    Time frame: through study completion, an average of 7 days

    Survival to hospital discharge with a Cerebral Performance Category score of 1-2

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Joshua Lupton, MD, MPH

CONTACT

[email protected]

503-418-6706

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Oregon Health and Science University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Variation in Electrode Configuration for Termination of Out-of-Hospital Rhythms That Are Shockable (VECTORS) Trial: A Pragmatic Trial of Anterior-Posterior Versus Anterior-Lateral Initial Defibrillator Pad Placement for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Acronym: VECTORS

Important dates

Study start
2027
Primary completion
2029
Study completion
2029
First posted
Sep 14, 2026
Registry last updated
Sep 14, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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