Abstract 12185: Impact of Cardiac Arrest Centers on the Survival of Nontraumatic Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: The role of cardiac arrest centers (CAC) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is uncertain, especially since CACs are inconsistently defined. This study seeks to address knowledge gaps by assessing the impact of CACs on nontraumatic OHCA patients as a whole and among specific subgroups. Methods: In this review, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched from inception to 9 March 2021. Studies were included if they compared CAC vs non-CAC among adult patients with nontraumatic OHCA. CACs were explicitly named by study authors and were capable of appropriate interventions. Data abstraction and quality assessment were independently conducted by two authors, and a third author resolved discrepancies. Main outcomes were survival and survival with favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge or at 30 days. Meta-analyses were performed for adjusted (aOR) and crude (OR) odds ratios. Sensitivity analyses were conducted for wider definitions of CAC such as high volume centers or improved post-resuscitation care, and subgroups analysed to account for heterogeneity. Results: The search yielded 4544 articles, and 36 were included for analysis. Survival with favorable neurological outcome significantly improved with treatment at CACs (aOR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.31), even when including high volume centers (aOR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.16), or when including improved care centers (aOR = 2.16, 95% CI 1.76 to 2.64) as CACs. Survival significantly increased with treatment at CAC (aOR = 1.92, 95% CI 1.59 to 2.31), even when including high volume centers (aOR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.38 to 2.18), or when including improved care centers (aOR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.71 to 2.26) as CACs. The effect on favorable neurological outcome was more pronounced among patients with shockable rhythm (p = 0.03) and on survival among patients without prehospital ROSC (p = 0.005). Findings were robust to sensitivity analyses, with no publication bias detected. Conclusion: CACs improved survival and neurological outcomes for nontraumatic OHCA patients despite varying definitions of CAC. Patients with shockable rhythms and without prehospital ROSC appeared to yield greater benefit from CACs. Evidence for bypassing hospitals or inter-hospital transfer remains inconclusive.