Gastric regurgitation predicts neurological outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors

•Gastric regurgitation during the first day of hospital admission is an early, easily available and independent predictor for poor neurological outcome in comatose out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors.•Association between gastric regurgitation and poor neurological outcome is more pronounced in multivariable models containing the clinical confounders first rhythm non-shockable, private location of collapse and cardiac arrest unwitnessed.•Measurement of gastric regurgitation is simple, inexpensive and routinely performed in critical care units.