Cardiac Arrest Outcomes Research Articles

Impact of community-based interventions on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Survival following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains low, typically less than 10%. Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and bystander-AED use have been shown to improve survival by up to fourfold in individual studies. Numerous community-based interventions have been implemented worldwide in an effort to enhance rates of bystander-CPR, bystander-AED use, and improve OHCA survival. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effect of such interventions on OHCA outcomes. Medline and Embase were systematically searched from inception through July 2021 for studies describing the implementation and effect of one or more community-based interventions targeting OHCA outcomes. Two reviewers screened articles, extracted data, and evaluated study quality using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. For each outcome, data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Of the 2481 studies identified, 16 met inclusion criteria. All included studies were observational. They reported a total of 1,081,040 OHCAs across 11 countries. The most common interventions included community-based CPR training (n = 12), community-based AED training (n = 9), and dispatcher-assisted CPR (n = 8). Health system interventions (hospital or paramedical services) were also described in 11 of the included studies. Evidence certainty among all outcomes was low or very low according to GRADE criteria. On meta-analysis, community-based interventions with and without health system interventions were consistently associated with improved OCHA outcomes: rates of bystander-CPR, bystander-AED use, survival, and survival with a favorable neurological outcome. Bystander CPR—14 studies showed a significant increase in post-intervention bystander-CPR rates (n = 285 752; OR 2.26 [1.74, 2.94]; I2 = 99%, and bystander AED use (n = 37 882; OR 2.08 [1.44, 3.01]; I2 = 54%) and durvival—10 studies, pooling survival to hospital discharge and survival to 30 days (n = 79 206; OR 1.59 [1.20, 2.10]; I2 = 95%. The results provide foundational support for the efficacy of community-based interventions in enhancing OHCA outcomes. These findings inform our recommendation that communities, regions, and countries should implement community-based interventions in their pre-hospital strategy for OHCA. Further research is needed to identify which specific intervention types are most effective.

Effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes - systematic review and meta-analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has recently presented the world with an unprecedented challenge. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) by comparing data from infected and non-infected individuals. The study adds to our understanding of the broader effects of the pandemic on public health and emergency care by examining the influence of COVID-19 on OHCA. A comprehensive systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and Google Scholar from 1 January 2020 - 24 May 2023. Incidence rates and odds ratios (ORs) or mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk factors were recorded from individual studies, and random-effects inverse variance modelling used to generate pooled estimates. Six studies, involving 5,523 patients, met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Survival to hospital admission, defined as admission to the emergency department with sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), among patients with and without on-going infection was 12.2% and 20.1%, respectively (p=0.09). Survival to hospital discharge/30-day survival rate was 0.8% vs. 6.2% (p<0.001). Two studies reported survival to hospital discharge in good neurological condition; however, the difference was not statistically significant (2.1% vs. 1.8%; p=0.37). Compared to the non-infected patients, the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with worse OHCA outcomes.

Uncovering the effects of COVID-19 on in-hospital cardiac arrest - a living systematic review and meta-analysis.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a global pandemic and had a negative impact on the entire health care system. To understand the effect of COVID-19 on outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies was designed to compare the pre- and intra-pandemic periods of adult patients who suffered cardiac arrest, and additionally by performing a sub-analysis related to COVID-19 positive vs. negative patients in the same group of patients. To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on IHCA outcomes a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Pubmed (MEDLINE), Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane database were searched for articles published from 1 January 2020 - 8 April 2023. Return of spontaneous circulation events among IHCA patients in pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 pandemic periods varied and amounted to 64.0% vs. 60.0%, respectively (OR=1.23; 95%CI: 1.19 to 1.26; p<0.001). Re-arrest occurrence was 4.5% vs. 4.9%, respectively (OR=1.24; 95%CI: 1.00 to 1.53; p=0.05). Survival to hospital discharge (SHD) was 25.1% compared to 20.9% for COVID-19 period (OR = 1.17; 95%CI: 0.96 to 1.41; p=0.12). During the COVID-19 period, SHD in COVID-19 positive patients was 14.0% compared to 25.9% for patients without COVID-19 (OR=0.72; 95%CI: 0.28 to 1.86; p=0.50). 30-day survival rate among COVID-19 positive vs. negative patients was 62.6% vs. 58.3%, respectively (OR =0.99; 95%CI: 0.23 to 4.24; p=0.99). Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection had reduced rates of ROSC and SDH, as well as poorer neurologic outcomes and increased in hospital re-arrests during the COVID-19 period. However, the 30-day survival rate was similar in SARS-CoV-2 positive and negative patients.

Outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in immigrants vs natives in Denmark

AimsEthnic disparities subsist in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcomes in the US, yet it is unresolved whether similar inequalities exist in European countries. This study compared survival after OHCA and its determinants in immigrants and non-immigrants in Denmark. MethodsUsing the nationwide Danish Cardiac Arrest Register, 37,622 OHCAs of presumed cardiac cause between 2001 and 2019 were included, 95% in non-immigrants and 5% in immigrants. Univariate and multiple logistic regression was used to assess disparities in treatments, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) at hospital arrival, and 30-day survival. ResultsImmigrants were younger at OHCA (median 64 [IQR 53–72] vs 68 [59–74] years; p < 0.05), had more prior myocardial infarction (15% vs 12%, p < 0.05), more diabetes (27% vs 19%, p < 0.05), and were more often witnessed (56% vs 53%; p < 0.05). Immigrants received similar bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation rates to non-immigrants, but more coronary angiographies (15% vs 13%; p < 0.05) and percutaneous coronary interventions (10% vs 8%, p < 0.05), although this was insignificant after age-adjustment. Immigrants had higher ROSC at hospital arrival (28% vs 26%; p < 0.05) and 30-day survival (18% vs 16%; p < 0.05) compared to non-immigrants, but adjusting for age, sex, witness status, first observed rhythm, diabetes, and heart failure rendered the difference non-significant (odds ratios (OR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.92–1.16 and OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.91–1.20, respectively). ConclusionsOHCA management was similar between immigrants and non-immigrants, resulting in similar ROSC at hospital arrival and 30-day survival after adjustments.

Association between cardiopulmonary resuscitation audit results with in-situ simulation and in-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes and key performance indicators

IntroductionIn-situ simulation (ISS) is a method to evaluate the performance of hospital units in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It is conducted by placing a high-fidelity mannequin at hospital units with simulated scenarios and having each unit’s performance evaluated. However, little is known about its impact on actual patient outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between the ISS results and actual outcomes of patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA).MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted by reviewing Siriraj Hospital’s CPR ISS results in association with the data of IHCA patients between January 2012 and January 2019. Actual outcomes were determined by patients’ outcomes (sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to hospital discharge) and arrest performance indicators (time-to-first-epinephrine and time-to-defibrillation). These outcomes were investigated for association with the ISS scores in multilevel regression models with hospital units as clusters.ResultsThere were 2146 cardiac arrests included with sustained ROSC rate of 65.3% and survival to hospital discharge rate of 12.9%. Higher ISS scores were significantly associated with improved sustained ROSC rate (adjusted odds ratio 1.32 (95%CI 1.04, 1.67); p = 0.01) and a decrease in time-to-defibrillation (-0.42 (95%CI -0.73, -0.11); p = 0.009). Although higher scores were also associated with better survival to hospital discharge and a decrease in time-to-first-epinephrine, most models for these outcomes failed to reach statistical significance.ConclusionCPR ISS results were associated with some important patient outcomes and arrest performance indicators. Therefore, it may be an appropriate performance evaluation method that can guide the direction of improvement.

Association between the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes and bystander resuscitation efforts for working-age individuals in Japan: a nationwide observational and epidemiological analysis

BackgroundImproving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) prognosis within the working-age population is important, but no studies have investigated the effects of COVID-19 pandemic specifically on the working-age population with OHCAs. We...

P105: Pre-Emptive Use of Mechanical Circulatory support in sudden cardiac death- A contrasting case series

Life-threatening ventricular tachycardia(VT) and fibrillation(VF) are the most important causes of sudden cardiac death(SCD). Patients who survive are often predisposed to recurrent VT secondary to scar tissue and require definitive ablation therapies. However given the unpredictable nature of arrhythmias, patients can degenerate into VT storm even as outpatient and become hemodynamically unstable which precludes ablation therapies. Using preemptive mechanical circulatory support in such patients as a bridge to ablation can be a game changer, especially in the event of a fresh VT. We present two contrasting cases, where preemptive use of Impella showed better outcomes in neurological status post cardiac arrest. Our patient is a 16-year-old competitive basketball player who suffered an out-of-hospital VT arrest during match practice requiring bystander CPR and multiple shocks. He was stabilized in an outside hospital and brought to us intubated, paralyzed, on multiple pressors and maintained on IV amiodarone and lidocaine. ECHO demonstrated a very large right ventricle (RV) with severe left ventricle(LV) dysfunction, ejection fraction(EF) 10-15% with basal RV diameter 6.8cm. Cardiac MRI(CMRI) showed an area of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) of the RV-free wall near the apex. Endomyocardial biopsy, Cardiac catheterization, and CT angiogram were unremarkable. With improvement in volume status, he was weaned off all inotropes and antiarrhythmics, received an AICD, and maintained only on sotalol and lisinopril. On outpatient follow-up, repeat CMRI confirmed Arrhythmogenic RV dysplasia. Unfortunately, four months later, the patient had another episode of cardiac arrest secondary to a VT storm with 20 minutes of downtime. He was deemed too unstable for VT ablation and thus emergently underwent a stellate ganglion block. The patient remained encephalopathic post-cardiac arrest with very slow neurologic recovery. He subsequently underwent cardiac transplantation The second case is that of a 63-year-old male with a past medical history of nonischemic cardiomyopathy with LVEF of 10% status post-ICD placement, and VT on amiodarone who presented with episodes of monomorphic VT followed by ICD shocks and syncope. Heart catheterization showed diffuse three-vessel disease. Due to recurrent VT patients, he received an Impella CP as a bridge to VT ablation. Interestingly during ablation, the patient goes into cardiac arrest requiring CPR for 90 minutes. He had successful VT ablation and with no neurological deficit post-procedure. Multiple trials have shown an improved 30-day survival rate without neurological sequelae with early implantation of Impella during ongoing CPR for cardiac arrest. Impella has several favorable properties by unloading the LV which limits the infarct size and maintains cerebral perfusion during the arrest. Preemptive Impella use is often used as a bridge to transplant, however using it as a bridge to ablation is yet to gain prominence.

Outcomes of Pediatric Traumatic Cardiac Arrest: A 15-year Retrospective Study in a Tertiary Center in Saudi Arabia.

Traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) is the cessation of cardiacpumping activity secondary to blunt or penetrating trauma. The aim of this study is to identify the outcomes of traumatic cardiac arrest in pediatric patients within the local community and report the causes and resuscitation management for the defined cases. This was a retrospectivelyconducted cohort study that took place in King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) and King Abdullah Specialized Children Hospital (KASCH) from 2005 to 2021, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study population involved pediatric patients aged 14 years or less who were admitted to our Emergency Department (ED) and had a traumatic cardiac arrest in the ED. There were 26,510 trauma patients, and only 56 were eligible for inclusion. More than half (60.71%, n= 34) of the patients were males. Patients aged four years or less constituted 51.79% (n= 29) of the included cases. The majority of patients were Saudis (89.29%, n= 50). The majority of the patients had cardiac arrest prior to ED admission (78.57%, n= 44). The majority (89.29%, n= 50) had a GCS of 3 at ED arrival. The most frequently observed first cardiac arrest rhythm was asystole, followed by pulselesselectrical activityand ventricular fibrillation, accounting for 74.55%, 23.64%, and 1.82%, respectively. Pediatric TCA is high acuity. Children who experience TCA have dreadful outcomes, and survivors can suffer serious neurological impairments. We providedthe experience of one of the largest trauma centers in Saudi Arabiato standardize the approach for managing TCA and, hopefully, improve itsoutcomes.

Hospital ECMO capability is associated with survival in pediatric cardiac arrest

AimExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides temporary support in severe cardiac or respiratory failure and can be deployed in children who suffer cardiac arrest. However, it is unknown if a hospital’s ECMO capability is associated with better outcomes in cardiac arrest. We evaluated the association between pediatric cardiac arrest survival and the availability of pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) at the treating hospital. MethodsWe identified cardiac arrest hospitalizations, including in- and out-of-hospital, in children (0–18 years old) using data from the Health Care Utilization Project (HCUP) National Inpatient Sample (NIS) between 2016 and 2018. The primary outcome was in-hospital survival. Hierarchical logistic regression models were built to test the association between hospital ECMO capability and in-hospital survival. ResultsWe identified 1276 cardiac arrest hospitalizations. Survival of the cohort was 44%; 50% at ECMO-capable hospitals and 32% at non-ECMO hospitals. After adjusting for patient-level factors and hospital factors, receipt of care at an ECMO- capable hospital was associated with higher in-hospital survival, with an odds ratio of 1.49 [95% CI 1.09, 2.02]. Patients who received treatment at ECMO-capable hospitals were younger (median 3 years vs 11 years, p < 0.001) and more likely to have a complex chronic condition, specifically congenital heart disease. A total of 10.9% (88/811) of patients at ECMO-capable hospitals received ECMO support. ConclusionA hospital's ECMO capability was associated with higher in-hospital survival among children suffering cardiac arrest in this analysis of a large United States administrative dataset. Future work to understand care delivery differences and other organizational factors in pediatric cardiac arrest is necessary to improve outcomes.

Incidences and outcomes of intra-operative vs. postoperative paediatric cardiac arrest: A retrospective cohort study of 42 776 anaesthetics in children who underwent noncardiac surgery in a Thai tertiary care hospital.

The reported incidence of paediatric perioperative cardiac arrest (PPOCA) in most developing countries ranges from 2.7 to 22.9 per 10 000 anaesthetics, resulting in mortality rates of 2.0 to 10.7 per 10 000 anaesthetics. The definitions of 'peri-operative' cardiac arrest often include the intra-operative period and extends from 60 min to 48 h after anaesthesia completion. However, the characteristics of cardiac arrests, care settings, and resuscitation quality may differ between intra-operative and early postoperative cardiac arrests. To compare the mortality rates between intraoperative and early postoperative cardiac arrests (<24 h) following anaesthesia for paediatric noncardiac surgery. A retrospective cohort study. In a tertiary care centre in Thailand during 2014 to 2019, the peri-operative period was defined as from the beginning of anaesthesia care until 24 h after anaesthesia completion. Paediatric patients aged 0 to 17 years who underwent anaesthesia for noncardiac surgery. Mortality rates. A total of 42 776 anaesthetics were identified, with 63 PPOCAs and 23 deaths (36.5%). The incidence (95% confidence interval) of PPOCAs and mortality were 14.7 (11.5 to 18.8) and 5.4 (3.6 to 8.1) per 10 000 anaesthetics, respectively. Among 63 PPOCAs, 41 (65%) and 22 (35%) occurred during the intra-operative and postoperative periods, respectively. The median [min to max] time of postoperative cardiac arrest was 3.84 [0.05 to 19.47] h after anaesthesia completion. Mortalities (mortality rate) of postoperative cardiac arrest were significantly higher than that of intra-operative cardiac arrest at 14 (63.6%) vs. 9 (22.0%, P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis of risk factors for mortality included emergency status and duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation with adjusted odds ratio 5.388 (95% confidence interval (1.031 to 28.160) and 1.067 (1.016 to 1.120). Postoperative cardiac arrest resulted in a higher mortality rate than intra-operative cardiac arrest. A high level of care should be provided for at least 24 h after the completion of anaesthesia. None. NA.

Comparison of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests during the COVID-19 pandemic with those before the pandemic: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, directly and indirectly, affected the emergency medical care system and resulted in worse out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcomes and epidemiological features compared with those before the pandemic. This review compares the regional and temporal features of OHCA prognosis and epidemiological characteristics. Various databases were searched to compare the OHCA outcomes and epidemiological characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic with before the pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, survival and favorable neurological outcome rates were significantly lower than before. Survival to hospitalization, return of spontaneous circulation, endotracheal intubation, and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) decreased significantly, whereas the use of a supraglottic airway device, the incidence of cardiac arrest at home, and response time of emergency medical service (EMS) increased significantly. Bystander CPR, unwitnessed cardiac arrest, EMS transfer time, use of mechanical CPR, and in-hospital target temperature management did not differ significantly. A subgroup analysis of the studies that included only the first wave with those that included the subsequent waves revealed the overall outcomes in which the epidemiological features of OHCA exhibited similar patterns. No significant regional differences between the OHCA survival rates in Asia before and during the pandemic were observed, although other variables varied by region. The COVID-19 pandemic altered the epidemiologic characteristics, survival rates, and neurological prognosis of OHCA patients. Review registration: PROSPERO (CRD42022339435).

ST-segment elevation in aVR following return of spontaneous circulation is associated with worse outcomes in cardiac arrest

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Private hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Boston Medical Center Background ST-segment elevation in lead aVR (STE-aVR) is suggestive of global myocardial ischemia, typically in the setting of left main disease, triple vessel disease, or severe metabolic derangements, and is associated with increased mortality in acute coronary syndrome. The prevalence and prognostic significance of STE-aVR in patients presenting with cardiac arrest has not been previously described. Purpose We sought to describe the prevalence of STE-aVR among comatose survivors of cardiac arrest and evaluate the association of STE-aVR with in-hospital mortality and favorable neurologic outcome at hospital discharge. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients enrolled in the Multimodal Outcome CHAracterization in cardiac arrest patients (MOCHA) study at a single academic center. Participants were comatose survivors of cardiac arrest aged 18-89 years who had an initial electrocardiogram (ECG) obtained after ROSC between 2011-2020. STE-aVR was defined as ST elevation at the J point of ≥1 mm as measured by two trained assessors. Outcomes included in-hospital mortality and favorable neurologic outcome at hospital discharge (Cerebral Performance Category 1-2). Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for age, medical comorbidities (diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, malignancy) and arrest characteristics (location, initial rhythm, witnessed status, bystander CPR) was used to test the association between outcomes and STE-aVR on ECG. Results 471 (89.0%) patients met inclusion criteria and were included in this analysis; 58 (11.0%) were excluded due to missing post-ROSC ECG. The median age was 62 years (Interquartile range: 51-73 years), and 284 (60.4%) were male. 297 (63.2%) presented with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and 138 (29.4%) presented with a shockable rhythm. STE-aVR was present in 87 patients (18.5%). STE-aVR was more common in patients presenting with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (22.9% vs 11.0%, P&amp;lt;0.01) but did not differ by initial rhythm (21.8% vs 31.1%, P=0.09). Patients with STE-aVR had higher mortality (83.9% vs 66.1%, P&amp;lt;0.01), which persisted after adjustment for confounding variables (Odds ratio (OR) 2.36; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.23-4.52, P&amp;lt;0.01). Patients with STE-aVR had lower incidence of favorable neurologic outcome (13.8% vs 26.1%, P=0.01), however this association was not significant after adjusting for covariates (OR 0.52; 95% CI:0.26-1.05, P=0.07). Conclusion STE-aVR was present in nearly 1 in 5 comatose survivors of cardiac arrest. STE-aVR was independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Further research is needed to clarify the clinical significance and mechanism of STE-aVR in patients presenting with cardiac arrest.

Changes in neurological outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: a population-based nationwide observational study

There is growing interest in the indirect negative effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on mortality. We aimed to assess its indirect effect on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcomes. We analysed a prospective nationwide registry of 506,935 patients with OHCA between 2017 and 2020. The primary outcome was favourable neurological outcome (Cerebral Performance Category 1 or 2) at 30 days. The secondary outcomes were public access defibrillation (PAD) and bystander-initiated chest compression. We performed an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis to assess changes in the trends of these outcomes around the declaration of a state of emergency (April 7 - May 25, 2020). We also performed a subgroup analysis stratified by infection spread status. We identified 21,868 patients with OHCA witnessed by a bystander who had an initial shockable heart rhythm. ITS analysis showed a drastic decline in PAD use (relative risk [RR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49-0.72; p<0.0001) and a reduction in favourable neurological outcomes (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.68-0.91; p=0.0032) all over Japan after the state of emergency was declared when compared with the equivalent time period in previous years. The decline in favourable neurological outcomes was more pronounced in areas with COVID-19 spread than in areas without spread (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.58-0.86 vs. RR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.72-1.03; p for effect modification=0.019). COVID-19 is associated with worse neurological outcomes and less PAD use in patients with OHCA. None.

Clinician-reported physiologic monitoring of cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality during pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest: A propensity-weighted cohort study

AimsThe primary objective was to determine the association between clinician-reported use of end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) to monitor cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) quality during pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest (pIHCA) and survival outcomes. DesignA retrospective cohort study was performed in two cohorts: (1) Patients with an invasive airway in place at the time of arrest to evaluate ETCO2 use, and (2) patients with an arterial line in place at the time of arrest to evaluate DBP use. The primary exposure was clinician-reported use of ETCO2 or DBP. The primary outcome was return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Propensity-weighted logistic regression evaluated the association between monitoring and outcomes. SettingHospitals reporting to the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines®– Resuscitation registry (2007–2021). PatientsChildren with index IHCA with an invasive airway or arterial line at the time of arrest. ResultsBetween January 2007 and May 2021, there were 15,280 pediatric CPR events with an invasive airway or arterial line in place at the time of arrest. Of 7159 events with an invasive airway, 6829 were eligible for analysis. Of 2978 events with an arterial line, 2886 were eligible. Clinicians reported using ETCO2 in 1335/6829 (20%) arrests and DBP in 1041/2886 (36%). Neither exposure was associated with ROSC. ETCO2 monitoring was associated with higher odds of 24-hour survival (aOR 1.17 [1.02, 1.35], p = 0.03). ConclusionsNeither clinician-reported ETCO2 monitoring nor DBP monitoring during pIHCA were associated with ROSC. Monitoring of ETCO2 was associated with 24-hour survival.

Outcome of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest among Patients with COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Outcomes following in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) in patients with COVID-19 have been reported by several small single-institutional studies; however, there are no large studies contrasting COVID-19 IHCA with non-COVID-19 IHCA. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes following IHCA between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. We searched databases using predefined search terms and appropriate Boolean operators. All the relevant articles published till August 2022 were included in the analyses. The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. An odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to measure effects. Among 855 studies screened, 6 studies with 27,453 IHCA patients (63.84% male) with COVID-19 and 20,766 (59.7% male) without COVID-19 were included in the analysis. IHCA among patients with COVID-19 has lower odds of achieving return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) (OR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.62-0.70). Similarly, patients with COVID-19 have higher odds of 30-day mortality following IHCA (OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 2.08-2.45) and have 45% lower odds of cardiac arrest because of a shockable rhythm (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.50-0.60) (9.59% vs. 16.39%). COVID-19 patients less commonly underwent targeted temperature management (TTM) or coronary angiography; however, they were more commonly intubated and on vasopressor therapy as compared to patients who did not have a COVID-19 infection. This meta-analysis showed that IHCA with COVID-19 has a higher mortality and lower rates of ROSC compared with non-COVID-19 IHCA. COVID-19 is an independent risk factor for poor outcomes in IHCA patients.

Traumatic cardiac arrest.

This review considers the latest evidence relating to the epidemiology and outcomes, treatment guidelines, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in traumatic cardiac arrest. There is variation in the incidence and outcomes of traumatic cardiac arrest which is influenced in part by case definitions. Irrespective of case definitions outcomes from traumatic cardiac arrest are typically worse than those seen from cardiac arrest due to medical causes but not so poor as to consider that treatment is futile. Clinical guidelines focus on the prompt treatment of reversible causes, although evidence that this improves outcomes is limited. Point of care ultrasound to assist with the identification of reversible causes should be limited to experienced operators where there is thought to be a high likelihood of a reversible cause being present. Care should be taken to minimize interruptions in chest compressions during scanning. There is little recent evidence to support specific therapeutic interventions. The role of Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta during traumatic cardiac arrest remains to be determined in on-going research. Trauma related cardiac arrest differs from cardiac arrest due to medical causes. Whilst the core principles of treatment are similar, a higher priority is placed on identifying and treating reversible causes.

Convolution Neural Network Algorithm for Shockable Arrhythmia Classification Within a Digitally Connected Automated External Defibrillator.

Background Diagnosis of shockable rhythms leading to defibrillation remains integral to improving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes. New machine learning techniques have emerged to diagnose arrhythmias on ECGs. In out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, an algorithm within an automated external defibrillator is the major determinant to deliver defibrillation. This study developed and validated the performance of a convolution neural network (CNN) to diagnose shockable arrhythmias within a novel, miniaturized automated external defibrillator. Methods and Results There were 26 464 single-lead ECGs that comprised the study data set. ECGs of 7-s duration were retrospectively adjudicated by 3 physician readers (N=18 total readers). After exclusions (N=1582), ECGs were divided into training (N=23 156), validation (N=721), and test data sets (N=1005). CNN performance to diagnose shockable and nonshockable rhythms was reported with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, F1, and sensitivity and specificity calculations. The duration for the CNN to output was reported with the algorithm running within the automated external defibrillator. Internal and external validation analyses included CNN performance among arrhythmias, often mistaken for shockable rhythms, and performance among ECGs modified with noise to mimic artifacts. The CNN algorithm achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.995 (95% CI, 0.990-1.0), sensitivity of 98%, and specificity of 100% to diagnose shockable rhythms. The F1 scores were 0.990 and 0.995 for shockable and nonshockable rhythms, respectively. After input of a 7-s ECG, the CNN generated an output in 383±29 ms (total time of 7.383 s). The CNN outperformed adjudicators in classifying atrial arrhythmias as nonshockable (specificity of 99.3%-98.1%) and was robust against noise artifacts (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve range, 0.871-0.999). Conclusions We demonstrate high diagnostic performance of a CNN algorithm for shockable and nonshockable rhythm arrhythmia classifications within a digitally connected automated external defibrillator. Registration URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03662802; Unique identifier: NCT03662802.

Impact of the 2015 European guidelines for resuscitation on traumatic cardiac arrest outcomes and prehospital management: A French nationwide interrupted time-series analysis

AimTo evaluate the impact of the 2015 European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines on patient outcomes following traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) and on advanced life support interventions carried out by physician-staffed ambulances. MethodsData of TCA patients aged ≥18 years were extracted from the French nationwide cardiac arrest registry. A pre- (2011–2015) and a post-publication period (2016–2020) were defined. In the guidelines, a specific TCA management algorithm was introduced to prioritise the treatment of reversible causes. Its impact was evaluated using adjusted interrupted time series analysis. Results4,980 patients were treated (2,145 during the pre-publication period and 2,739 during the post-publication period). There was no significant change in the rates of prehospital ROSC (22.4% vs. 20.2%, p = 0.07 in the pre- and post- intervention respectively), survival (1.4% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.87) or good neurological outcome (71.4% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.93) or in the incidence of organ donation (1.6% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.50). There were nonsignificant changes in the adjusted temporal trend for ROSC (aOR 0.88; 95% CI [0.77; 1.00]), survival (aOR 1.34; 95% CI [0.83;2.17]), good neurological outcome (aOR 1.57; 95% CI [0.82;3.05]), and organ donation (aOR 1.06; 95% CI [0.71;1.60]). The use of intraosseous catheters (13.0% vs. 19.2%, p < 0.001), external haemorrhage control measures (23.9% vs. 64.8%, p < 0.001), bilateral chest decompression (13.7% vs. 16.5%, p = 0.009), and packed red cell transfusion (2.7% vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001) increased in the post-publication period. ConclusionsDespite the increased frequency of trauma rescue interventions performed by on-scene physicians, no change in patient-centred outcomes was associated with the publication of the 2015 ERC guidelines in France.

Cardiac Arrest and Neurologic Recovery: Insights from the Case of Mr. Damar Hamlin.

The association between brain injury after cardiac arrest and poor survival outcomes has led to longstanding pessimism. However, the publicly witnessed cardiac arrest, resuscitation, and acute management of Mr. Damar Hamlin and his favorable neurologic recovery provides some optimism. Mr. Hamlin's case highlights the neurologic advances of the last 2 decades and presents the opportunity to improve outcomes for all cardiac arrest patients in key areas: (1) effectively implementing the American Heart Association "Chain of Survival" to prevent initial brain injury and promote neuroprotection; (2) revisiting the process of neurologic prognostication and re-defining the brain recovery during the early periods, and (3) incorporating neurorehabilitation into existing cardiac rehabilitation models to support holistic recovery. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:871-876.

Trends and Outcomes in Cardiac Arrest Among Heart Failure Admissions

There is limited large, national data investigating the prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes of cardiac arrest (CA) in patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF). The goal of this study was to examine the characteristics, trends, and outcomes of HF hospitalizations complicated by in-hospital CA. We used the National Inpatient Sample to identify all primary HF admissions from 2016 to 2019. Cohorts were built based on the presence of a codiagnosis of CA. Diagnoses were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Associations with CA were then analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. We identified a total of 4,905,564 HF admissions, 56,170 (1.1%) of which had CA. Hospitalizations complicated by CA were significantly more likely to be male, to have coronary artery disease, renal disease, and less likely to be White (p <0.001, all). Age <65 (odds ratio [OR] 1.18, p <0.001), renal disease (OR 2.41, p <0.001), and coronary artery disease (OR 1.26, p <0.001) had higher odds of CA while female gender (OR 0.84, confidence interval [CI] 0.83 to 0.86, p <0.001) or HFpEF (OR 0.49, CI 0.48 to 0.50, p <0.001) had lower odds of CA. Patients with CA had higher inpatient mortality (CA 54.2% vs no CA 2.1%, p <0.001), which persisted after multivariate adjustment (OR 64.8, CI 63.5 to 66.0, p <0.001). CA occurs in >1 in 1,000 HF hospitalizations and remains a prominent and serious event associated with a high mortality. Further research is needed to examine long-term outcomes and mechanical circulatory support utilization with more granularity in HF patients with in-hospital CA.