Abstract 163: Type of Prehospital Airway Management Does Not Affect Chest X-Ray Abnormality in Resuscitated Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Chest x-ray (CXR) abnormalities after cardiopulmonary resuscitation are common. Mechanisms by which these abnormalities develop are not fully elucidated, but aspiration of secretions and regurgitated gastric contents during prehospital airway management may be an important modifiable cause. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that endotracheal intubation (ETI) is associated with decreased incidence of CXR abnormalities after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), as compared to bag-valve-mask (BVM) or supraglottic airway (SGA) use. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review including resuscitated OHCA patients treated at a single academic medical center from 2010-2015. We included patients that had an initial CXR obtained within 66 hours of arrival. We excluded patients with tracheostomy, patients without positive pressure ventilation on emergency department (ED) arrival, or missing initial airway management data. We classified patients by airway management at the time of ED arrival into three groups: BVM, SGA, and ETI. Board certified thoracic imaging radiologists determined if there was any CXR abnormality, and if the observed abnormality was likely due to aspiration. The incidence of any abnormality and aspiration were compared between groups. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to adjust for baseline clinical characteristics. Results: Of the 766 subjects included in the study, 22 (3%) had BVM, 68 (9%) had SGA, and 676 (88%) had ETI. Most 58% were male, 34% had initial rhythm VF/VT, and 61% had a witnessed arrest. Any abnormality on CXR was identified in 543 (71%) cases, and likely aspiration was observed in 205 (27%) cases. Incidence of CXR abnormality was not significantly different between groups: BVM group 18/22 (82%), reference; SGA group 52/68 (76%), OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.13-4.31; ETI group 473/676 (70%), OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.16-4.01. Incidence of aspiration on CXR was also not different between groups: BVM group 6/22 (27%), reference; SGA group 19/68 (28%), OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.18-6.22; ETI group 180/676 (27%), OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.25-6.32. Conclusion: Prehospital airway management strategy for resuscitated OHCA patients was not associated with a significant difference in the incidence of any abnormality or aspiration on CXR.