The prognostic value of agonal respiration in refractory cardiac arrest: a case series of non-shockable cardiac arrest successfully resuscitated through extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The presence of agonal respiration has the potential to confer a favorable neurological outcome in patients with refractory cardiac arrest if maintained, even when the initial cardiac rhythm is not shockable. In these cases, resuscitation should not be abandoned, and ECPR should be considered.