In-hospital cardiac arrest: incidence, prognosis and possible measures to improve survival

Migrating Mobile Applications to the Web: Adult Crash Cart Training

Nurses and clinicians require knowledge and training of their facilities' code blue response cart to manage emergency scenarios. However, the nurses who access the carts change frequently through turnover and role changes. An augmented reality training solution was built for mobile devices, but encountered distribution and access challenges. This study evaluated the conversion of the mobile application to a desktop-based version deployed via a learning management system. Eight hundred fifty clinicians were assigned the interactive learning product, which collected anonymous usage data and an optional feedback survey within the module. Of 850 assigned users, 468 completed the module, and 338 completed the feedback survey. Respondents indicated a positive difference of 25.3% in retrospective pre/post confidence and an appreciation for the features of the product. Performance measured by decreasing total item search time appeared to level off after three plays. The format transition was successful, allowing the same widespread distribution as the mobile versions of [X]. Feedback gathered will drive improvements in the module.

Survival of In-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Arrest in Trauma Patients

INTRODUCTION

Relative to other hospitalized patients, trauma patients are younger with fewer comorbidities, but the incidence and outcomes of in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (IHCA) with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in this population is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate factors associated with survival in trauma patients after IHCA to test the hypothesis that compared to other hospitalized patients, trauma patients with IHCA have improved survival.

METHODS

Retrospective review of the Trauma Quality Improvement Program database 2017 to 2019 for patients who had IHCA with CPR. Primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital complications, hospital length of stay, intensive care unit length of stay, and ventilator days. Data were compared with univariate and multivariate analyses at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

In 22,346,677 admitted trauma patients, 14,056 (0.6%) received CPR. Four thousand three hundred seventy-seven (31.1%) survived to discharge versus 26.4% in a national sample of all hospitalized patients (P < 0.001). In trauma patients, median age was 55 y, the majority were male (72.2%). Mortality was higher for females versus males (70.3% versus 68.3%, P = 0.026). Multivariate regression showed that older age 1.01 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.02), Hispanic ethnicity 1.21 (95% CI 1.04-1.40), and penetrating trauma 1.51 (95% CI 1.32-1.72) were risk factors for mortality, while White race was a protective factor 0.36 (95% CI 0.14-0.89).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to show that the incidence of IHCA with CPR is approximately six in 1000 trauma admissions and 31% survive to hospital discharge, which is higher than other hospitalized patients. Age, gender, racial, and ethnic disparities also influence survival.

Benefits of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in cancer patients

PURPOSE

According to meta-analytic data, the prognosis of a cancer patient post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is relatively similar to the general population. However, preselection of patients, the details of CPR, patient-specific characteristics, and post-CPR care are poorly described. The aim of this study is to identify prognostic factors in order to recognize cancer patient profiles more likely to benefit from CPR.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study on a series of patients with solid or hematological malignancies who received CPR between January 2010 and December 2020 in a cancer institute.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight patients were included. The ratio of solid to hematological malignancy was 44/24, of which 32 were metastatic solid tumors. Median age was 61 years. Hypoxemia (29%) was the primary factor for cardiac arrest, followed by septic shock (21%). ICU mortality and hospital mortality were 87% and 88% respectively. Younger age, the presence of hematological malignancy, or a metastatic solid tumor were poor predictors for in-hospital mortality. Similarly, cardiac arrest in the ICU, as the final consequence of a pathological process, and a resuscitation time of more than 10 min have a negative influence on prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that CPR is a useful intervention in cancer patients, even in the elderly patient, especially in non-metastatic solid tumors where cardiac arrest is the consequence of an acute event and not a terminal process.

The association between mechanical CPR and outcomes from in-hospital cardiac arrest: An observational cohort study

AIM

We sought to investigate the relationship between mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during in-hospital cardiac arrest and survival to hospital discharge.

METHODS

Utilizing the prospectively collected American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines database, we performed an observational study. Data from 153 institutions across the United States were reviewed with a total of 351,125 patients suffering cardiac arrest between 2011 and 2019 were screened. After excluding patients with cardiac arrests lasting less than 5 minutes, and patients who had incomplete data, a total of 111,143 patients were included. Our primary exposure was mechanical vs. manual CPR, and the primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. Multivariate logistic regression models and propensity weighted analyses were used.

RESULTS

11.8% of patients who received mechanical CPR survived to hospital discharge versus 16.9% in the manual CPR group. Patients who received mechanical CPR had a lower probability of survival to discharge compared to patients who received manual CPR (OR 0.66 95% CI 0.58-0.75; p < 0.001). This association persisted with multi-variable adjustment (OR 0.57 95% CI 0.46-0.70, p < 0.0001) and propensity weighted analysis (OR 0.68 95% CI 0.44-0 0.92, p < 0.0001). Mechanical CPR was associated with decrease likelihood of return of spontaneous circulation after multivariate adjustment (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.60-0.76; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Mechanical CPR was associated with a decreased likelihood of survival to hospital discharge and ROSC compared to manual CPR. This finding should be interpreted within the context of important limitations of this study and randomized trials are needed to better investigate this relationship.

Serum urea increase during hospital stay is associated with worse outcomes after in-hospital cardiac arrest

BACKGROUND

Evaluate the association between serum urea at admission and during hospital stay with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and in-hospital mortality in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA).

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients over 18 years with IHCA attended from May 2018 to December 2022. The exclusion criteria were the absence of exams to calculate delta urea and the express order of "do-not-resuscitate". Data were collected from the electronic medical records. Serum admission urea and urea 24 hours before IHCA were also collected and used to calculate delta urea.

RESULTS

A total of 504 patients were evaluated; 125 patients were excluded due to the absence of variables to calculate delta urea and 5 due to "do-not-resuscitate" order. Thus, we included 374 patients in the analysis. The mean age was 65.0 ± 14.5 years, 48.9% were male, 45.5% had ROSC, and in-hospital mortality was 91.7%. In logistic regression models, ROSC was associated with lower urea levels 24 hours before IHCA (OR: 0.996; CI95%: 0.992-1.000; p: 0.032). In addition, increased levels of urea 24 hours before IHCA (OR: 1.020; CI95%: 1.008-1.033; p: 0.002) and of delta urea (OR: 1.001; CI95%: 1.001-1.019; p: 0.023) were associated with in-hospital mortality. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve for mortality prediction was higher for urea 24 hours before IHCA (Cutoff > 120.1 mg/dL) than for delta urea (Cutoff > 34.83 mg/dL).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, increased serum urea levels during hospital stay were associated with worse prognosis in IHCA.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training and Reinforcement: A Bulwark against Death

How to cite this article: Sinha S. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training and Reinforcement: A Bulwark against Death. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(4):317-319.

Assessing the cost-effectiveness of capnography for end-tidal CO2 monitoring during in-hospital cardiac arrest: A middle-income country perspective analysis

Study objective

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of EtCO2 monitoring during in-hospital cardiorespiratory arrest (CA) care outside the intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency room department.

Design

We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis based on a simple decision model cost analysis and reported the study using the CHEERS checklist. Model inputs were derived from a retrospective Brazilian cohort study, complemented by information obtained through a literature review. Cost inputs were gathered from both literature sources and contacts with hospital suppliers.

Setting

The analysis was carried out from the perspective of a tertiary referral hospital in a middle-income country.

Participants

The study population comprised individuals experiencing in-hospital CA who received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by rapid response team (RRT) in a hospital ward, not in the ICU or emergency room department.

Interventions

Two strategies were assumed for comparison: one with an RRT delivering care without capnography during CPR and the other guiding CPR according to the EtCO2 waveform.

Main outcome measures

Incremental cost-effectiveness rate (ICER) to return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), hospital discharge, and hospital discharge with good neurological outcomes.

Results

The ICER for EtCO2 monitoring during CPR, resulting in an absolute increase of one more case with ROSC, hospital discharge, and hospital discharge with good neurological outcome, was calculated at Int$ 515.78 (361.57-1201.12), Int$ 165.74 (119.29-248.4), and Int$ 240.55, respectively.

Conclusion

In managing in-hospital CA in the hospital ward, incorporating EtCO2 monitoring is likely a cost-effective measure within the context of a middle-income country hospital with an RRT.

Comparison of Novel Telemonitoring System Using the Single-lead Electrocardiogram Patch With Conventional Telemetry System

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Although a single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) patch may provide advantages for detecting arrhythmias in outpatient settings owing to user convenience, its comparative effectiveness for real-time telemonitoring in inpatient settings remains unclear. We aimed to compare a novel telemonitoring system using a single-lead ECG patch with a conventional telemonitoring system in an inpatient setting.

METHODS

This was a single-center, prospective cohort study. Patients admitted to the cardiology unit for arrhythmia treatment who required a wireless ECG telemonitoring system were enrolled. A single-lead ECG patch and conventional telemetry were applied simultaneously in hospitalized patients for over 24 hours for real-time telemonitoring. The basic ECG parameters, arrhythmia episodes, and signal loss or noise were compared between the 2 systems.

RESULTS

Eighty participants (mean age 62±10 years, 76.3% male) were enrolled. The three most common indications for ECG telemonitoring were atrial fibrillation (66.3%), sick sinus syndrome (12.5%), and atrioventricular block (10.0%). The intra-class correlation coefficients for detecting the number of total beats, atrial and ventricular premature complexes, maximal, average, and minimal heart rates, and pauses were all over 0.9 with p values for reliability <0.001. Compared to a conventional system, a novel system demonstrated significantly lower signal noise (median 0.3% [0.1-1.6%] vs. 2.4% [1.4-3.7%], p<0.001) and fewer episodes of signal loss (median 22 [2-53] vs. 64 [22-112] episodes, p=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

The novel telemonitoring system using a single-lead ECG patch offers performance comparable to that of a conventional system while significantly reducing signal loss and noise.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0008176.

Outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrests during and after office hours in a single tertiary centre in Singapore

INTRODUCTION

In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is a significant healthcare burden with a paucity of data in Singapore. Various factors, including time of cardiac arrest, affect survival from acute resuscitation.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study that evaluated the characteristics of patients who sustained an IHCA, including the Cardiac Arrest Survival Post Resuscitation In-hospital (CASPRI) scores, and the impact of arrest time in 220 consecutive cardiac arrests occurring in a tertiary hospital. The primary outcome was rate of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) post-IHCA, and the secondary outcome was 90-day survival.

RESULTS

The ROSC rate among patients with IHCA out of and during office hours was 69.5% and 75.4%, respectively (odds ratio [OR] 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39-1.42). There were no statistically significant differences between the CASPRI scores of both groups. After adjusted analysis, the OR of ROSC post-IHCA out of office hours as compared to that during office hours was 0.78 (95% CI 0.39-1.53). The 90-day survival rate of patients who had an IHCA out of and during office hours was 25.7% and 34.6%, respectively (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.32-1.34). The adjusted OR of 90-day survival was 0.66 (0.28-1.59).

CONCLUSION

The results of this observational study did not show an association between the timing of cardiac arrest and the rate of ROSC or 90-day survival.

External validation of the rCAST for patients after in-hospital cardiac arrest: a multicenter retrospective observational study

No established predictive or risk classification tool exists for the neurological outcomes of post-cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS) in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). This study aimed to investigate whether the revised post-cardiac arrest syndrome for therapeutic hypothermia score (rCAST), which was developed to estimate the prognosis of PCAS patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), was applicable to patients with IHCA. A retrospective, multicenter observational study of 140 consecutive adult IHCA patients admitted to three intensive care units. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of the rCAST for poor neurological outcome and mortality at 30 days were 0.88 (0.82-0.93) and 0.83 (0.76-0.89), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the risk classification according to rCAST for poor neurological outcomes were 0.90 (0.83-0.96) and 0.67 (0.55-0.79) for the low, 0.63 (0.54-0.74) and 0.67 (0.55-0.79) for the moderate, and 0.27 (0.17-0.37) and 1.00 (1.00-1.00) for the high-severity grades. All 22 patients classified with a high-severity grade showed poor neurological outcomes. The rCAST showed excellent predictive accuracy for neurological prognosis in patients with PCAS after IHCA. The rCAST may be useful as a risk classification tool for PCAS after IHCA.

Development of a deep learning model for predicting critical events in a pediatric intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

Identifying critically ill patients at risk of cardiac arrest is important because it offers the opportunity for early intervention and increased survival. The aim of this study was to develop a deep learning model to predict critical events, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation or mortality.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary university hospital. All patients younger than 18 years who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit from January 2010 to May 2023 were included. The main outcome was prediction performance of the deep learning model at forecasting critical events. Long short-term memory was used as a deep learning algorithm. The five-fold cross validation method was employed for model learning and testing.

RESULTS

Among the vital sign measurements collected during the study period, 11,660 measurements were used to develop the model after preprocessing; 1,060 of these data points were measurements that corresponded to critical events. The prediction performance of the model was the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (95% confidence interval) of 0.988 (0.9751.000), and the area under the precision-recall curve was 0.862 (0.700-1.000).

CONCLUSIONS

The performance of the developed model at predicting critical events was excellent. However, follow-up research is needed for external validation.

Recovery and Survival of Patients After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Literature Review Showcasing the Big Picture of Intensive Care Unit-Related Factors

As an important public health issue, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) requires several stages of high quality medical care, both on-field and after hospital admission. Post-cardiac arrest shock can lead to severe neurological injury, resulting in poor recovery outcome and increased risk of death. These characteristics make this condition one of the most important issues to deal with in post-OHCA patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs). Also, the majority of initial post-resuscitation survivors have underlying coronary diseases making revascularization procedure another crucial step in early management of these patients. Besides keeping myocardial blood flow at a satisfactory level, other tissues must not be neglected as well, and maintaining mean arterial pressure within optimal range is also preferable. All these procedures can be simplified to a certain level along with using targeted temperature management methods in order to decrease metabolic demands in ICU-hospitalized post-OHCA patients. Additionally, withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy as a controversial ethical topic is under constant re-evaluation due to its possible influence on overall mortality rates in patients initially surviving OHCA. Focusing on all of these important points in process of managing ICU patients is an imperative towards better survival and complete recovery rates.

Using rapid response system trigger clusters to characterize patterns of clinical deterioration among hospitalized adult patients

BACKGROUND

Many rapid response system (RRS) events are activated using multiple triggers. However, the patterns in which multiple RRS triggers occur together to activate RRS events are unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify these patterns (RRS trigger clusters) and determine their association with outcomes among hospitalized adult patients.

METHODS

RRS events among adult patients from January 2015 to December 2019 in the Get With The Guidelines- Resuscitation registry's MET module were examined (n = 134,406). Cluster analysis methods were performed to identify RRS trigger clusters. Pearson's chi-squared and ANOVA tests were used to examine differences in patient characteristics across RRS trigger clusters. Multilevel logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between RRS trigger clusters and outcomes.

RESULTS

Six RRS trigger clusters were identified. Predominant RRS triggers for each cluster were: tachypnea, new onset difficulty in breathing, decreased oxygen saturation (Cluster 1); tachypnea, decreased oxygen saturation, staff concern (Cluster 2); respiratory depression, decreased oxygen saturation, mental status changes (Cluster 3); tachycardia, staff concern (Cluster 4); mental status changes (Cluster 5); hypotension, staff concern (Cluster 6). Significant differences in patient characteristics were observed across clusters. Patients in Clusters 3 and 6 had an increased likelihood of in-hospital cardiac arrest (p < 0.01). All clusters had an increased risk of mortality (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

We discovered six novel RRS trigger clusters with differing relationships to adverse patient outcomes. RRS trigger clusters may prove crucial in clarifying the associations between RRS events and adverse outcomes and aiding in clinician decision-making during RRS events.

Epidemiology of in-hospital cardiac arrest patients admitted to the intensive care unit in Australia: a retrospective observational study

BACKGROUND

In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) affects approximately 3000 patients annually in Australia. Introduction of the National Standard for Deteriorating Patients in 2011 was associated with reduced IHCA-related intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and reduced in-hospital mortality of such patients.

AIMS

To assess whether the reduction in IHCA-related ICU admissions from hospital wards seen following the implementation of the national standard (baseline period 2013-2014) was sustained over the follow-up period (2015-2019) in Australia.

METHODS

A multi-centre retrospective cohort study to compare the characteristics and outcomes of IHCA admitted to the ICU between baseline and follow-up periods. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients admitted to ICU from the ward following IHCA. Secondary outcomes included ICU and hospital mortality of IHCA-related ICU admissions. Data were analysed using hierarchical multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

The proportion of cardiac arrest-related admissions from the ward was lower in the follow-up period when compared to baseline (4.1 vs 3.8%; P = 0.04). Such patients had lower illness severity and were more likely to have limitations of medical treatment at admission. However, after adjustment for severity of illness, the likelihood of being admitted to ICU following cardiac arrest on the ward increased in the follow-up period (odds ratio (OR) 1.13 (1.05-1.22); P = 0.001). Hospital mortality was lower in the follow-up period (50.3 vs 46.3%; P = 0.02), but after adjustment the likelihood of death did not differ between the periods (OR 1.0 (0.86-1.17); P = 0.98).

CONCLUSION

After adjustment for the severity of illness, the likelihood of being admitted to ICU after IHCA slightly increased in the follow-up period.

Chest compression quality and patient outcomes with the use of a CPR feedback device: A retrospective study

Feedback devices were developed to guide resuscitations as targets recommended by various guidelines are difficult to achieve. Yet, there is limited evidence to support their use for in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCA), and they did not correlate with patient outcomes. Therefore, this study has investigated the compression quality and patient outcomes in IHCA with the use of a feedback device via a retrospective study of inpatient code blue activations in a Singapore hospital over one year. The primary outcome was compression quality and secondary outcomes were survival, downtime and neurological status. 64 of 110 (58.2%) cases were included. Most resuscitations (71.9%) met the recommended chest compression fraction (CCF, defined as the proportion of time spent on compressions during resuscitation) despite overall quality being suboptimal. Greater survival to discharge and better neurological status in resuscitated patients respectively correlated with higher median CCF (p = 0.040 and 0.026 respectively) and shorter downtime (p < 0.001 and 0.001 respectively); independently, a higher CCF correlated with a shorter downtime (p = 0.014). Overall, this study demonstrated that reducing interruptions is crucial for good outcomes in IHCA. However, compression quality remained suboptimal despite feedback device implementation, possibly requiring further simulation training and coaching. Future multicentre studies incorporating these measures should be explored.

Efficacy of in-bed chest compressions depending on provider position during in-hospital cardiac arrest: a controlled manikin study

BACKGROUND

In contrast to the pre-hospital environment, patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest are usually lying in a hospital bed. Interestingly, there are no current recommendations for optimal provider positioning. The present study evaluates in bed chest compression quality in different provider positions during in-hospital-cardiac-arrest.

METHODS

Paramedics conducted four resuscitation scenarios: manikin lying on the floor with provider position kneeling next to the manikin (control group), manikin lying in a hospital bed with the provider kneeling astride, kneeling beside or standing next to the manikin. A resuscitation board was not used according to the current guideline recommendations. Quality of resuscitation, compression depth, compression rate and percentage of compressions with complete chest rebound were recorded. Afterwards, the paramedics were asked about subjective efficiency and fatigue. Data were analyzed using Generalized-Linear-Mixed-Models and, in addition, by non-parametric Friedman test.

RESULTS

A total of 60 participants were recruited. The total quality of chest compressions was significantly higher in floor-based control position compared to the standing (P<.001) and both kneeling positions (P<.05). Also, the compression depth was significantly more guideline compliant in the control (P<.001) and the kneeling position (P<.05) compared to the standing position. The compression frequency as well as the complete chest wall recoil did not differ significantly. The standing position was rated as more fatiguing than the other positions (p≤0.001), kneeling beside as subjectively more efficient than the standing position (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In case of an in-bed resuscitation, high quality chest compressions are possible. Kneeling astride or beside the patient should be preferred because these positions demonstrated a good chest compression quality and were more efficient and less exhausting.

How to predict the death risk after an in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) in intensive care unit? A retrospective double-centre cohort study from a tertiary hospital in China

OBJECTIVES

Our objective is to develop a prediction tool to predict the death after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA).

DESIGN

We conducted a retrospective double-centre observational study of IHCA patients from January 2015 to December 2021. Data including prearrest diagnosis, clinical features of the IHCA and laboratory results after admission were collected and analysed. Logistic regression analysis was used for multivariate analyses to identify the risk factors for death. A nomogram was formulated and internally evaluated by the boot validation and the area under the curve (AUC). Performance of the nomogram was further accessed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves for patients who survived the initial IHCA.

SETTING

Intensive care unit, Tongji Hospital, China.

PARTICIPANTS

Adult patients (≥18 years) with IHCA after admission. Pregnant women, patients with 'do not resuscitation' order and patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were excluded.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the death after IHCA.

RESULTS

Patients (n=561) were divided into two groups: non-sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) group (n=241) and sustained ROSC group (n=320). Significant differences were found in sex (p=0.006), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) duration (p<0.001), total duration of CPR (p=0.014), rearrest (p<0.001) and length of stay (p=0.004) between two groups. Multivariate analysis identified that rearrest, duration of CPR and length of stay were independently associated with death. The nomogram including these three factors was well validated using boot calibration plot and exhibited excellent discriminative ability (AUC 0.88, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.93). The tertiles of patients in sustained ROSC group stratified by anticipated probability of death revealed significantly different survival rate (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our proposed nomogram based on these three factors is a simple, robust prediction model to accurately predict the death after IHCA.

Predicting ICU admission and death in the Emergency Department: A comparison of six early warning scores

AIM

To compare the ability of the most used Early Warning Scores (EWS) to identify adult patients at risk of poor outcomes in the emergency department (ED).

METHODS

Single-center, retrospective observational study. We evaluated the digital records of consecutive ED admissions in patients ≥ 18 years from 2010 to 2019 and calculated NEWS, NEWS2, MEWS, RAPS, REMS, and SEWS based on parameters measured on ED arrival. We assessed the discrimination and calibration performance of each EWS in predicting death/ICU admission within 24 hours using ROC analysis and visual calibration. We also measured the relative weight of clinical and physiological derangements that identified patients missed by EWS risk stratification using neural network analysis.

RESULTS

Among 225,369 patients assessed in the ED during the study period, 1941 (0.9%) were admitted to ICU or died within 24 hours. NEWS was the most accurate predictor (area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUROC] curve 0.904 [95% CI 0.805-0.913]), followed by NEWS2 (AUROC 0.901). NEWS was also well calibrated. In patients judged at low risk (NEWS < 2), 359 events occurred (18.5% of the total). Neural network analysis revealed that age, systolic BP, and temperature had the highest relative weight for these NEWS-unpredicted events.

CONCLUSIONS

NEWS is the most accurate EWS for predicting the risk of death/ICU admission within 24 h from ED arrival. The score also had a fair calibration with few events occurring in patients classified at low risk. Neural network analysis suggests the need for further improvements by focusing on the prompt diagnosis of sepsis and the development of practical tools for the measurement of the respiratory rate.

In-hospital cardiac arrest: Incidence, prognostic factors and results

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) is a clinical entity with high morbidity and mortality that occurs in up to 2% of hospitalized patients. It is a public health problem with important economic, social, and medical repercussions, and as such its incidence needs to be reviewed and improved. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of in-hospital CA, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and survival rates at Hospital de la Princesa, and to define the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with in-hospital CA.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective observational chart review of patients presenting in-hospital CA and treated by anaesthesiologists from the hospital's rapid intervention team. Data were collected over 1 year.

RESULTS

Forty four patients were included in the study, of which 22 (50%) were women. Mean age was 75.7 years (±15.78 years), and incidence of in-hospital CA was 2.88 per 100,000 hospital admissions. Twenty two patients (50%) achieved ROSC and 11 patients (25%) survived until discharge home. The most prevalent comorbidity was arterial hypertension (63.64%); 66.7% of cases were not witnessed, and only 15.9% presented a shockable rhythm.

CONCLUSIONS

These results are similar to those reported in other larger studies. We recommend introducing immediate intervention teams and devoting time to training hospital staff in in-hospital CA.

Pulseless electrical activity and asystole during in-hospital cardiac arrest: Disentangling the 'nonshockable' rhythms

BACKGROUND

Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and asystole account for 81% of initial in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) rhythms in the U.S.A. These "non-shockable" rhythms are often grouped together in resuscitation research and practice. We hypothesized that PEA and asystole are distinct initial IHCA rhythms with distinguishing features.

METHODS

This was an observational cohort study using the prospectively collected nationwide Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation registry. Adult patients with an index IHCA and an initial rhythm of PEA or asystole between the years of 2006 and 2019 were included. Patients with PEA vs. asystole were compared with respect to pre-arrest characteristics, resuscitation practice, and outcomes.

RESULTS

We identified 147,377 (64.9%) PEA and 79,720 (35.1%) asystolic IHCA. Asystole had more arrests in non-telemetry wards (20,530/147,377 [13.9%] PEA vs. 17,618/79,720 [22.1%] asystole). Asystole had 3% lower adjusted odds of ROSC (91,007 [61.8%] PEA vs. 44,957 [56.4%] asystole, aOR 0.97, 95%CI 0.96-0.97, P < 0.01); there was no statistically significant difference in survival to discharge (28,075 [19.1%] PEA vs. 14,891 [18.7%] asystole, aOR 1.00, 95%CI 1.00-1.01, P = 0.63). Duration of resuscitation for those without ROSC were shorter for asystole (29.8 [±22.5] minutes in PEA vs. 26.2 [±21.5] minutes in asystole, adjusted mean difference -3.05 95%CI -3.36--2.74, P < 0.01).

INTERPRETATION

Patients suffering IHCA with an initial PEA rhythm had patient and resuscitation level differences from those with asystole. PEA arrests were more common in monitored settings and received longer resuscitations. Even though PEA was associated with higher rates of ROSC, there was no difference in survival to discharge.

Lactate to Albumin Ratio for Predicting Clinical Outcomes after In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is associated with high mortality and poor neurological outcomes. Our objective was to assess whether the lactate-to-albumin ratio (LAR) can predict the outcomes in patients after IHCA. We retrospectively screened 75,987 hospitalised patients at a university hospital between 2015 and 2019. The primary endpoint was survival at 30-days. Neurological outcomes were assessed at 30 days using the cerebral performance category scale. 244 patients with IHCA and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) were included in this study and divided into quartiles of LAR. Overall, there were no differences in key baseline characteristics or rates of pre-existing comorbidities among the LAR quartiles. Patients with higher LAR had poorer survival after IHCA compared to patients with lower LAR: Q1, 70.4% of the patients; Q2, 50.8% of the patients; Q3, 26.2% of the patients; Q4, 6.6% of the patients (p = 0.001). Across increasing quartiles, the probability of a favourable neurological outcome in patients with ROSC after IHCA decreased: Q1: 49.2% of the patients; Q2: 32.8% of the patients; Q3: 14.7% of the patients; Q4: 3.2% of the patients (p = 0.001). The AUCs for predicting 30-days survival using the LAR were higher as compared to using a single measurement of lactate or albumin. The prognostic performance of LAR was superior to that of a single measurement of lactate or albumin for predicting survival after IHCA.

Implementing a Rapid Response Team: A Quality Improvement Project in a Low- to Middle-Income Country

BACKGROUND

The benefits of rapid response teams (RRTs) have been controversial with few studies conducted in low- to middle-income countries.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of implementing an RRT on 4 patient outcomes.

METHODS

We conducted a quality improvement pre-and-post design using the Plan-Do-Study-Act model in a tertiary hospital in a low- to middle-income country. We collected data before and after implementing the RRT in 4 phases and over 4 years.

RESULTS

Survival to discharge after cardiac arrest was 25.0% per 1000 discharges in 2016 and increased to 50% in 2019, a 50% increase. The rate of activations per 1000 discharges was 20.45% for the code team in 2016 and 33.6% for the RRT team in 2019. Thirty-one patients who arrested were transferred to a critical care unit before implementing the RRT, and 33% of such patients were transferred after. The time it took the code team to arrive at the bedside was 3.1 minutes in 2016 and decreased to 1.7 minutes for the RRT team to arrive in 2019, a 46% decrease.

DISCUSSION AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Implementing an RTT led by nurses in a low- to middle-income country increased the survival rate of patients who had a cardiac arrest by 50%. The role of nurses in improving patient outcomes and saving lives is substantial and empowers nurses to call for assistance to save patient lives who show early signs of a cardiac arrest. Hospital administrators should continue to use strategies to improve nurses' timely response to the clinical deterioration of patients and to continue to collect data to assess the effect of the RRT over time.

Outcomes of Cardiac Arrest with Valve Surgery Among Infective Endocarditis Patients: A United States National Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

Cardiac arrest can complicate infective endocarditis (IE) and is associated with significant in-hospital complications and mortality rates. We report the characteristics, outcomes, and readmission rates for IE patients with cardiac arrest in the United States.

METHODS

We surveyed the Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD), a database designed to support national level readmission analyses, for patients admitted with IE and who had cardiac arrest during index admission between 2016 and 2019. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, surgical procedures, and outcomes were identified using their respective International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes.

RESULTS

There were 663 index admissions (mean age 55.87 ± 17.21 years;34.2 % females) for IE with cardiac arrest in the study period, with an overall mortality rate of 55.3 %. Of these, 270 (40.7 %) had surgical procedures performed during the hospitalization encounter. In patients who had a surgical procedure, 72 (26.8 %) patients had in-hospital mortality while 293 (74.9 %) patients without surgical procedures had in-hospital mortality (p < 0.001). After coarsened matching for baseline characteristics, surgical valve procedures were less likely to be associated with mortality (OR = 0.09, 95%CI 0.04-0.24; p < 0.001). Among the 295 alive discharges associated with cardiac arrest, 76 (38.57 %) were readmitted within 30-days, with a mortality rate of 22 % noted for readmissions.

CONCLUSION

Among IE patients who had cardiac arrest, surgical procedures subgroup had low mortality despite having higher complication rates. However, due to chances of bias more randomized trials are needed evaluate the hypothesis.

Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation in Pregnancy: A Case Report

Maternal mortality is a major public health issue globally. The exact incidence of maternal cardiac arrest (CA) is uncertain in developing countries like India as there is a paucity of reliable maternal registries. CA in pregnancy is rare and requires a multidisciplinary team well versed in the cascade of steps during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in managing such patients. Here we report a case of a 29-year-old primigravida at 29 weeks antenatal woman in cardiac arrest in which CPR with advanced care life support was initiated and resuscitative hysterotomy was performed within 4 minutes of no return of spontaneous circulation, which helped in the revival of the patient. It serves as an important basis for maternal health and the delivery of healthy neonates, as seen in our case. Because of this, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of pregnancy physiology as well as basic and advanced cardiac life support techniques with a focus on CA in pregnancy. Frequent simulation learning and training on the treatment of CA in pregnancy should therefore be encouraged.

Performance of digital early warning score (NEWS2) in a cardiac specialist setting: retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are at significant risk of developing critical events. Early warning scores (EWS) are recommended for early recognition of deteriorating patients, yet their performance has been poorly studied in cardiac care settings. Standardisation and integrated National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) in electronic health records (EHRs) are recommended yet have not been evaluated in specialist settings.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the performance of digital NEWS2 in predicting critical events: death, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, cardiac arrest and medical emergencies.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort analysis.

STUDY COHORT

Individuals admitted with CVD diagnoses in 2020; including patients with COVID-19 due to conducting the study during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MEASURES

We tested the ability of NEWS2 in predicting the three critical outcomes from admission and within 24 hours before the event. NEWS2 was supplemented with age and cardiac rhythm and investigated. We used logistic regression analysis with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) to measure discrimination.

RESULTS

In 6143 patients admitted under cardiac specialties, NEWS2 showed moderate to low predictive accuracy of traditionally examined outcomes: death, ICU admission, cardiac arrest and medical emergency (AUC: 0.63, 0.56, 0.70 and 0.63, respectively). Supplemented NEWS2 with age showed no improvement while age and cardiac rhythm improved discrimination (AUC: 0.75, 0.84, 0.95 and 0.94, respectively). Improved performance was found of NEWS2 with age for COVID-19 cases (AUC: 0.96, 0.70, 0.87 and 0.88, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The performance of NEWS2 in patients with CVD is suboptimal, and fair for patients with CVD with COVID-19 to predict deterioration. Adjustment with variables that strongly correlate with critical cardiovascular outcomes, that is, cardiac rhythm, can improve the model. There is a need to define critical endpoints, engagement with clinical experts in development and further validation and implementation studies of EHR-integrated EWS in cardiac specialist settings.

Multi-institutional search for patient factors associated with adverse events following tracheotomy

BACKGROUND

Tracheotomy is a common procedure for otolaryngologists. The risk of complications is difficult to predict. This study aims to identify measurable preoperative indicators associated with adverse events following tracheotomy.

METHODS

The charts of adults undergoing tracheotomy for respiratory failure at one of four university-affiliated hospitals between 1/2012 and 8/2018 were reviewed. Complications were analyzed in the context of demographics, physiologic parameters, and comorbidities.

RESULTS

Among 507 tracheotomies performed, the most common complications included infection, bleeding, and cardiac arrest. Mortality was 39 % in patients with pulmonary hypertension, 42 % in those with ejection fraction ≤ 40 and 32 % in those with abnormal right ventricular function, double the rates in patients without each of these findings.

CONCLUSION

Many critically ill tracheotomy patients experience significant rates of adverse events. Risk factors for mortality include ejection fraction ≤ 40, pulmonary hypertension, and abnormal ventricular function. These should be considered for use in preoperative counseling.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4

In-Hospital cardiac arrest complicating ST-elevation myocardial Infarction: Temporal trends and outcomes based on management strategy

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on the relationship of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) management strategy and in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA).

AIMS

To investigate the trends and outcomes of IHCA in STEMI by management strategy.

METHODS

Adult with STEMI complicated by IHCA from the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2017) were stratified into early percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (day 0 of hospitalization), delayed PCI (PCI ≥ day 1), or medical management (no PCI). Coronary artery bypass surgery was excluded. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, adverse events, length of stay, and hospitalization costs.

RESULTS

Of 3,967,711 STEMI admissions, IHCA was noted in 102,424 (2.6%) with an increase in incidence during this study period. Medically managed STEMI had higher rates of IHCA (3.6% vs 2.0% vs 1.3%, p < 0.001) compared to early and delayed PCI, respectively. Revascularization was associated with lower rates of IHCA (early PCI: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.44 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.43-0.44], p < 0.001; delayed PCI aOR 0.33 [95% CI 0.32-0.33], p < 0.001) compared to medical management. Non-revascularized patients had higher rates of non-shockable rhythms (62% vs 35% and 42.6%), but lower rates of multiorgan damage (44% vs 52.7% and 55.6%), cardiogenic shock (28% vs 65% and 57.4%) compared to early and delayed PCI, respectively (all p < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was lower with early PCI (49%, aOR 0.18, 95% CI 0.17-0.18), and delayed PCI (50.9%, aOR 0.18, 95% CI 0.17-0.19) (p < 0.001) compared to medical management (82.5%).

CONCLUSION

Early PCI in STEMI impacts the natural history of IHCA including timing and type of IHCA.

Using rapid response system trigger clusters to characterize patterns of clinical deterioration among hospitalized adult patients

Background

Many rapid response system (RRS) events are activated using multiple triggers. However, the patterns in which RRS triggers co-occur to activate the medical emergency team (MET) to respond to RRS events is unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the patterns (RRS trigger clusters) in which RRS triggers co-occur when used to activate the MET and determine the association of these clusters with outcomes using a sample of hospitalized adult patients.

Methods

RRS events among adult patients from January 2015 to December 2019 in the Get With The Guidelines- Resuscitation registry's MET module were examined (n=134,406). A combination of cluster analyses methods was performed to group patients into RRS trigger clusters based on the triggers used to activate their RRS events. Pearson's chi-squared and ANOVA tests were used to examine differences in patient characteristics across RRS trigger clusters. Multilevel logistic regression was used to examine the associations between RRS trigger clusters and outcomes following RRS events.

Results

Six RRS trigger clusters were identified in the study sample. The RRS triggers that predominantly identified each cluster were as follows: tachypnea, new onset difficulty in breathing, and decreased oxygen saturation (Cluster 1); tachypnea, decreased oxygen saturation, and staff concern (Cluster 2); respiratory depression, decreased oxygen saturation, and mental status changes (Cluster 3); tachycardia and staff concern (Cluster 4); mental status changes (Cluster 5); hypotension and staff concern (Cluster 6). Significant differences in patient characteristics were observed across RRS trigger clusters. Patients in Clusters 3 and 6 were associated with an increased likelihood of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA [p<0.01]), while Cluster 4 was associated with a decreased likelihood of IHCA (p<0.01). All clusters were associated with an increased risk of mortality (p<0.01).

Conclusions

We discovered six novel RRS trigger clusters with differing relationships to adverse patient outcomes following RRS events. RRS trigger clusters may prove crucial in clarifying the associations between RRS events and adverse outcomes and may aid in clinician decision-making during RRS events.

Elevated Initial Serum Phosphate Levels Predict Higher Mortality and Impaired Neurological Outcome in Cardiac Arrest Patients with Return of Spontaneous Circulation

Purpose: Although a moderate proportion of cardiac arrest (CA) patients achieve a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), few survive to discharge, mostly with poor neurological development. As serum phosphate levels were described as elevated after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), we asked whether these elevations would predict a higher risk of mortality and impaired neurological outcome in CA patients following ROSC. Methods: Initial serum phosphate levels, survival, and neurologic status at discharge of 488 non-traumatic CA patients treated at a single German hospital after achieving ROSC were analyzed. The cut-off value of phosphate for mortality prediction was determined using the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve, and patients were divided accordingly for comparison. Results were validated by analyzing phosphate levels in a multi-centric cohort containing 3299 CA patients from the eICU database of the United States. Results: In the German cohort, ROC analysis showed a 90% specificity for phosphate levels >2.7 mmol/L to predict mortality (AUC: 0.76, p < 0.0001), and phosphate level elevations were associated with higher in-hospital mortality (crude odds ratio 3.04, 95% CI 2.32 to 4.08). Patients with initial phosphate levels >2.7 mmol/L had significantly higher mortality in both analyzed collectives (p < 0.0001). Similarly, patients from the German cohort who initially had higher phosphate levels also showed a higher proportion of impaired neurological status at discharge and morphological signs of brain injury. Conclusions: In CA patients following ROSC, initial serum phosphate levels >2.7 mmol/L predict higher mortality and impaired neurological outcome. Our data suggests that phosphate determination might improve the preciseness of the overall and neurologic prognostication in patients after CPR following ROSC.

Factors Influencing Pre-Cardiopulmonary Arrest Signs among Post-General Surgery Patients in Critical Care Service System

Health service system factors can lead to pre-cardiopulmonary arrest signs (pre-CA), which refer to a critical condition in the body leading to a circulatory and respiratory system disruption. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence rate of an event leading to pre-cardiopulmonary arrest signs within the first 24 h, and also to analyze the factors influencing the health service system in critical post-general surgery patients in the intensive care unit. These results of the study found the incidence rate of pre-CA was 49.05 per 1000 person-hours, especially 1 h after admission to the ICU. Hemodynamic instability, respiratory instability, and neurological alteration were the most common pre-CA symptoms. The patient factors associated with high pre-CA arrest sign scores were the age from 18-40 years, with an operation status as emergency surgery, elective surgery compared with urgent surgery, and the interaction of operation status and age in critical post-general surgery patients. The organization factors found advanced hospital level and nurse allocation were associated with pre-CA. To improve quality of care for critical post-general surgery patients, critical care service delivery should be delegated to nurses with nurse allocation and critical care nursing training. Guidelines must be established for critically ill post-general surgery patient care.

Factors Related to Resuscitation Success and Prognosis of Cardiopulmonary Arrest Cases

Background

In cases where return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) is provided in the Emergency Department (ED) after cardiopulmonary arrest (CA), it is important to investigate the parameters affecting ROSC rates, to determine the factors affecting the survival status and prognosis in the short and medium term, and to determine to what extent these factors affect the prognosis.

Materials and methods

This is a cross-sectional study that retrospectively investigates the factors affecting the success of resuscitation over a 5-year period in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) cases.

Results

We determined that ROSC was achieved in 26.1% of 1616 adult cardiopulmonary arrest cases, 14.8% survived the first 24 hours, and 3.8% were discharged from the hospital.

Conclusion

We determined that ROSC decreased by 21% with a 1-mg increase in the amount of adrenaline used, by 98% with a 1 mmol/L increase in HCO₃ (std) value, by 27% with a 1 mmol/L increase in BE (B) value, and by 15% with a 1 mmol/L increase in lactate value. In terms of short-term survival, we found that a 1 mmol/L increase in lactate value reduced the probability of survival by 12%, and a 1 mEq/L increase in K value decreased the probability by 29%. With regard to the probability of survival in the medium term, we determined that the growth in age by 1 year decreased the probability by 4%, and the increase in K value by 1 mEq/L decreased the probability by 35%.

How to cite this article

Tekin FC, Köylü R, Köylü O, Kunt M. Factors Related to Resuscitation Success and Prognosis of Cardiopulmonary Arrest Cases. Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(1):26-31.

Clinical characteristics, causes and predictors of outcomes in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest: results from the SURVIVE-ARREST study

INTRODUCTION

In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is acutely life-threatening and remains associated with high mortality and morbidity. Identifying predictors of mortality after IHCA would help to guide acute therapy.

METHODS

We determined patient characteristics and independent predictors of 30-day in-hospital mortality, neurological outcome, and discharge/referral pathways in patients experiencing IHCA in a large tertiary care hospital between January 2014 and April 2017. Multivariable Cox regression model was fitted to assess predictors of outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 368 patients with IHCA were analysed (median age 73 years (interquartile range 65-78), 123 (33.4%) women). Most patients (45.9%) had an initial non-shockable rhythm and shockable rhythms were found in 20.9%; 23.6% of patients suffered from a recurrent episode of cardiac arrest. 172/368 patients died within 30 days (46.7%). Of 196/368 patients discharged alive after IHCA, the majority (72.9%, n = 143) had a good functional neurological outcome (modified Rankin Scale ≤ 3 points). In the multivariable analysis, return of spontaneous circulation without mechanical circulatory support (hazard ratio (HR) 0.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21-0.64), invasive coronary angiography and/or percutaneous intervention (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.34-0.92), and antibiotic therapy (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.83-0.92) were associated with a lower risk of 30-day in hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

In the present study, IHCA was survived in ~ 50% in a tertiary care hospital, although only a minority of patients presented with shockable rhythms. The majority of IHCA survivors (~ 70%) had a good neurological outcome. Recovery of spontaneous circulation and presence of treatable acute causes of the arrest are associated with better survival. Clinical Characteristics, Causes and Predictors of Outcomes in Patients with In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Results from the SURVIVE-ARREST Study.

ABBREVIATIONS

CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation; IHCA, In-hospital cardiac arrest; MCS, mechanical circulatory support; PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention; ROSC, return of spontaneous circulation; SBP, systolic blood pressure.

Post-Cardiac Arrest: Mechanisms, Management, and Future Perspectives

Cardiac arrest is an important public health issue, with a survival rate of approximately 15 to 22%. A great proportion of these deaths occur after resuscitation due to post-cardiac arrest syndrome, which is characterized by the ischemia-reperfusion injury that affects the role body. Understanding physiopathology is mandatory to discover new treatment strategies and obtain better results. Besides improvements in cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers, the great increase in survival rates observed in recent decades is due to new approaches to post-cardiac arrest care. In this review, we will discuss physiopathology, etiologies, and post-resuscitation care, emphasizing targeted temperature management, early coronary angiography, and rehabilitation.

Temperature control after cardiac arrest

Most of the patients who die after cardiac arrest do so because of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI). Experimental evidence shows that temperature control targeted at hypothermia mitigates HIBI. In 2002, one randomized trial and one quasi-randomized trial showed that temperature control targeted at 32-34 °C improved neurological outcome and mortality in patients who are comatose after cardiac arrest. However, following the publication of these trials, other studies have questioned the neuroprotective effects of hypothermia. In 2021, the largest study conducted so far on temperature control (the TTM-2 trial) including 1900 adults comatose after resuscitation showed no effect of temperature control targeted at 33 °C compared with normothermia or fever control. A systematic review of 32 trials published between 2001 and 2021 concluded that temperature control with a target of 32-34 °C compared with fever prevention did not result in an improvement in survival (RR 1.08; 95% CI 0.89-1.30) or favorable functional outcome (RR 1.21; 95% CI 0.91-1.61) at 90-180 days after resuscitation. There was substantial heterogeneity across the trials, and the certainty of the evidence was low. Based on these results, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation currently recommends monitoring core temperature and actively preventing fever (37.7 °C) for at least 72 h in patients who are comatose after resuscitation from cardiac arrest. Future studies are needed to identify potential patient subgroups who may benefit from temperature control aimed at hypothermia. There are no trials comparing normothermia or fever control with no temperature control after cardiac arrest.

A Retrospective Study: Quick Scoring of Symptoms to Estimate the Risk of Cardiac Arrest in the Emergency Department

Purpose. At present, not enough is known about the symptoms before cardiac arrest. The purpose of this study is to describe the precursor symptoms of cardiac arrest, focusing on the relationship between symptoms and cardiac arrest, and to establish a quick scoring model of symptoms for predicting cardiac arrest. Patients and Methods. A retrospective case-control study was carried out on cardiac arrest patients who visited the emergency department of Peking University Third Hospital from January 2018 to June 2019. Symptoms that occurred or were obviously aggravated within the 14 days before CA were defined as warning symptoms. Results. More than half the cardiac arrest patients experienced warning symptoms within 14 days before cardiac arrest. Dyspnea ( $p<0.001$ ) was found to be associated with cardiac arrest; syncope and cold sweat are other symptoms that may have particular clinical significance. Gender ( $p<0.001$ ), age ( $p<0.001$ ), history of heart failure ( $p=0.006$ ), chronic kidney disease ( $p=0.011$ ), and hyperlipidemia ( $p=0.004$ ) were other factors contributing to our model. Conclusions. Warning symptoms during the 14 days prior to cardiac arrest are common for CA patients. The Quick Scoring Model for Cardiac Arrest (QSM-CA) was developed to help emergency physicians and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel quickly identify patients with a high risk of cardiac arrest.

Effectiveness of school-based CPR training among adolescents to enhance knowledge and skills in CPR: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

 Cardiac arrest is responsible for 5% - 10% of all deaths among children age 5-19 years; therefore, strategies to prevent poor outcomes post cardiac arrest among children are critical within schools.

OBJECTIVES

 The purpose of this study was to systematically review the effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training on CPR knowledge and skills among adolescent school children.

METHOD

 This systematic review was conducted and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. The complete bibliographic databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Web of Science were searched from January 2012 to August 2021. Included studies met all the eligibility criteria. The Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies (EPHPP) and Mixed Method Appraisal tool were used to appraise the quality of the included studies.

RESULTS

 Fourteen studies were included in the review, and 5418 participants were found in the databases. The studies were mainly conducted during the last decade, which suggests that the public's attention has been directed toward training schoolchildren in CPR. The most common interventions were taught in video simulation training courses. They also used subjective assessments to evaluate the participants' knowledge and skills.

CONCLUSION

 Findings from this systematic review reveal that CPR training within school settings effectively promoted a change in CPR knowledge and skills among adolescents. Hence, continuous training of CPR among schoolchildren should be encouraged by policymakers, school authorities, parents and teachers to optimise the prompt usage of the skills in any cardiac event. However, a high-quality randomised controlled trial would enhance the strength of evidence in this area.

Frailty and Survival After In-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

BACKGROUND

Older adults face high mortality following resuscitation efforts for in-hospital cardiac arrest. Less is known about the role of frailty in survival to discharge after in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether frailty, measured by the Clinical Frailty Scale, is associated with mortality after cardiopulmonary resuscitation following in-hospital cardiac arrest in older adults in the USA.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients ≥ 65 years who had undergone cardiopulmonary resuscitation during an inpatient admission at two urban academic hospitals and three suburban community hospitals within a Boston area healthcare system from January 2018-January 2020. Patients with Clinical Frailty Scale scores 1-3 were considered not frail, 4-6 were considered very mildly, mildly, and moderately frail, respectively, and 7-9 were considered severely frail.

MAIN MEASURES

In-hospital mortality after cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

KEY RESULTS

Among 324 patients who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation following in-hospital cardiac arrest, 73.1% experienced in-hospital mortality. Patients with a Clinical Frailty Scale score of 1-3 had 54% in-hospital mortality, which increased to 66%, 78%, 84%, and 84% for those with a Clinical Frailty Scale score of 4, 5, 6, and 7-9, respectively (p = 0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, race, and Charlson Comorbidity Index, higher frailty scores were significantly associated with higher odds of in-hospital mortality. Compared to those with a Clinical Frailty Scale score of 1-3, odds ratios (95% CI) for in-hospital mortality for patients with a Clinical Frailty Scale score of 4, 5, 6, and 7-9 were 1.6 (0.8-3.3), 3.0 (1.3-7.1), 4.4 (1.9-9.9), and 4.6 (1.8-11.8), respectively (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher levels of frailty are associated with increased mortality after in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation in older adults. Clinicians may consider using the Clinical Frailty Scale to help guide goals of care conversations, including discussion of code status, in this patient population.

Effect of life-sustaining treatment decision law on pediatric in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation rate: A Korean population-based study

AIM

The 2018 life-sustaining treatment (LST) decision law is expected to improve end-of-life quality in Korea. This study evaluated the national effect of the LST decision law on the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rate among pediatric patients who died during hospital admission.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was based on the Korean National Health Insurance database. Pediatric admissions within 12 months before or after implementation of the LST decision law were compared, allowing a 1-month transition period (February 2018). The changes in mortality, CPR, and documentation of LST decision were evaluated.

RESULTS

The CPR rate of patients who died in hospital decreased after establishment of the LST decision law (49.6 vs 43.4 %, P = 0.04), without change of in-hospital mortality between pre/post-LST decision law activation (0.83 vs 0.81 per 1000 admissions, P = 0.67). In addition, in-hospital CPR (0.73 vs 0.67 per 1000 admissions, P = 0.15) and survival to discharge after in-hospital CPR (43.6 vs 47.2 %, P = 0.27) were slightly improved, although there was no statistical significance. Patients with LST decision documentation were less frequently mechanically ventilated (69.8 % vs 80.4 %, P < 0.01) and used fewer inotropes (76.5 % vs 90.1 %, P < 0.01) and more frequent opioids (67.1 % vs 57.4 %, P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

The legally guided process of LST decision can decrease the CPR rate of children who die in hospitals. This result highlights the possibility of improving end-of-life quality by reducing non-beneficial in-hospital CPR.

Early changes in hospital resuscitation practices during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in many disruptions in care for patients experiencing in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). We sought to identify changes made in hospital resuscitation practices during progression of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We conducted a descriptive qualitative study using in-depth interviews of clinical staff leadership involved with resuscitation care at a select group of U.S. acute care hospitals in the national American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation registry for IHCA. We focused interviews on resuscitation practice changes for IHCA since the initiation of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used rapid analysis techniques for qualitative data summarization and analysis.

Results

A total of 6 hospitals were included with interviews conducted with both physicians and nurses between November 2020 and April 2021. Three topical themes related to shifts in resuscitation practice through the COVID-19 pandemic were identified: 1) ensuring patient and provider safety and wellness (e.g., use of personal protective equipment); 2) changing protocols and training for routine educational practices (e.g., alterations in mock codes and team member roles); and 3) goals of care and end of life discussions (e.g., challenges with visitor and family policies). We found advances in leveraging technology use as an important topic that helped institutions address challenges across all 3 themes.

Conclusions

Early on, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many changes to resuscitation practices at hospitals placing an emphasis on enhanced safety, training, and end of life planning. These lessons have implications for understanding how systems may be better designed for resuscitation efforts.

Factors associated with in-hospital mortality of patients admitted to an intensive care unit in a tertiary hospital in Malawi

Objective

To determine factors associated with in-hospital death among patients admitted to ICU and to evaluate the predictive values of single severely deranged vital signs and several severity scoring systems.

Methods

A combined retrospective and prospective cohort study of patients admitted to the adult ICU in a tertiary hospital in Malawi was conducted between January 2017 and July 2019. Predefined potential risk factors for in-hospital death were studied with univariable and multivariable logistic regression models, and the performance of severity scores was assessed.

Results

The median age of the 822 participants was 31 years (IQR 21–43), and 50% were female. Several factors at admission were associated with in-hospital mortality: the presence of one or more severely deranged vital signs, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.9 (1.4–2.6); treatment with vasopressor aOR 2.3 (1.6–3.4); received cardiopulmonary resuscitation aOR 1.7 (1.2–2.6) and treatment with mechanical ventilation aOR 1.5 (1.1–2.1). Having had surgery had a negative association with in-hospital mortality aOR 0.5 (0.4–0.7). The predictive accuracy of the severity scoring systems had varying sensitivities and specificities, but none were sufficiently accurate to be clinically useful.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the presence of one or more severely deranged vital sign in patients admitted to ICU may be useful as a simple marker of an increased risk of in-hospital death.

Continuous monitoring of brain perfusion by cerebral oximetry after spontaneous return of circulation in cardiac arrest: a case report

BACKGROUND

Cerebral resuscitation determines the prognosis for patients who have experienced sudden death, and brain protection is the focus of clinical treatment. Cerebral resuscitation depends on the timing and quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). At present, cerebral oxygen monitoring is used mainly to monitor the quality of external cardiac compression and provide a prognosis for the nervous system. However, after the return of autonomous circulation, it is necessary to conduct continuous monitoring to ensure measures are taken timeously since hemodynamic instability, brain edema, and other factors may cause occult brain injury, and invasive arterial pressure cannot represent cerebral perfusion.

CASE PRESENTATION

By using continuous cerebral oxygen monitoring after CPR and the return of spontaneous circulation, a patient who was witnessed to have experienced sudden death in the hospital was found to have insufficient cerebral perfusion; he underwent timely intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation to improve his hemodynamics and cerebral perfusion. The patient went on to achieve a good neurological prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Cerebral oxygen monitoring should be conducted throughout the treatment period; physicians should understand cerebral perfusion in real time and implement timely intervention measures to reduce occult brain injury and improve the neurological prognosis of patients.

The association between signs of medical distress preceding in-hospital cardiac arrest and 30-day survival – A register-based cohort study

Background

Identifying signs of medical distress prior to in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is important to prevent IHCA and improve survival. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the association between signs of medical distress present within 60 minutes prior to cardiac arrest and survival after cardiac arrest.

Methods

The register-based cohort study included adult patients (≥18 years) with IHCA in the Swedish Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (SRCR) from 2017-01-01 to 2020–07-15. Signs of distress prior to IHCA were defined as the medical signs arrhythmia, pulmonary oedema, hypotension, hypoxia or seizures present within 60 minutes prior to cardiac arrest (pre-arrest signs). Using multivariable logistic regression, the association between these pre-arrest signs and 30-day survival was analysed in both unadjusted and adjusted models. The covariates used were demographics, comorbidities, characteristics and treatment of cardiac arrest.

Results

In total, 8525 patients were included. After adjusting for covariates, patients with arrhythmia had a 58% higher probability of 30-day survival. The adjusted probability of 30-day survival was 41% and 52% lower for patients with hypotension and hypoxia prior to IHCA, respectively. Pulmonary oedema and seizures were not associated with any change in 30-day survival.

Conclusions

Among signs of medical distress prior to in-hospital cardiac arrest, arrhythmia was associated with a higher 30-day survival. Hypotension and hypoxia were associated with lower survival after IHCA. These findings indicate that future research on survival after cardiac arrest should take pre-arrest signs into account as it impacts the prerequisites for survival.

Pre-arrest Prediction of Survival Following In-hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Systematic Review of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies

AIM

To evaluate the test accuracy of pre-arrest clinical decision tools for in-hospital cardiac arrest survival outcomes.

METHODS

We searched Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library from inception through January 2022 for randomized and non-randomized studies. We used the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies framework to evaluate risk of bias, and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology to evaluate certainty of evidence. We report sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive outcome, and negative predictive outcome for prediction of survival outcomes. PROSPERO CRD42021268005.

RESULTS

We searched 2517 studies and included 23 studies using 13 different scores: 12 studies investigating 8 different scores assessing survival outcomes and 11 studies using 5 different scores to predict neurological outcomes. All were historical cohorts/ case control designs including adults only. Test accuracy for each score varied greatly. Across the 12 studies investigating 8 different scores assessing survival to hospital discharge/ 30-day survival, the negative predictive values (NPVs) for the prediction of survival varied from 55.6% to 100%. The GO-FAR score was evaluated in 7 studies with NPVs for survival with cerebral performance category (CPC) 1 ranging from 95.0% to 99.2%. Two scores assessed survival with CPC ≤2 and these were not externally validated. Across all prediction scores, certainty of evidence was rated as very low.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified very low certainty evidence across 23 studies for 13 different pre-arrest prediction scores to outcome following IHCA. No score was sufficiently reliable to support its use in clinical practice. We identified no evidence for children.

Assessment of Human Factors After Advanced Life Support Courses Comparing Simulated Team and Real Team Assessment: A Randomized Controlled Cohort Trial

Aim

Human factors are essential for high-quality resuscitation team collaboration and are, therefore, taught in international advanced life support courses, but their assessment differs widely. In Europe, the summative life support course assessment tests mainly adhere to guidelines but few human factors. This randomized controlled simulation trial investigated instructors’ and course participants’ perceptions of human factors assessment after two different summative assessments.

Methods

All 5th/6th-year medical students who attended 19 advanced life support courses according to the 2015 European Resuscitation Council guidelines during one study year were invited to participate. Each course was randomized to either: (1) Simulated team assessment (one instructor simulates a team, and the assessed person leads this “team” through a cardiac-arrest scenario test); (2) Real team assessment (4 students form a team, one of them is assessed as the team leader; team members are not assessed and act only on team leader’s commands). After the summative assessments, instructors, and students rated the tests’ ability to assess human factors using a visual analog scale (VAS, 0 = no agreement, 10 = total agreement).

Results

A total of 227 students participated in the 1-day Immediate Life Support courses, 196 students in the 2-day Advanced Life Support courses, additionally 54 instructors were included. Instructors judged all human factors significantly better in real team assessments; students rated leadership and situational awareness comparable between both assessments. Assessment pass rates were comparable between groups.

Conclusion

Summative assessment in real teams was perceived significantly better to assess human factors. These results might influence current summative assessment practices in advanced life support courses.

Barriers and facilitators for successful AED usage during in-situ simulated in-hospital cardiac arrest

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training for Healthcare Professionals: A Scoping Review

SUMMARY STATEMENT

The optimal strategy for training cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for healthcare professionals remains to be determined. This scoping review aimed to describe the emerging evidence for CPR training for healthcare professionals.We screened 7605 abstracts and included 110 studies in this scoping review on CPR training for healthcare professionals. We assessed the included articles for evidence for the following topics: training duration, retraining intervals, e-learning, virtual reality/augmented reality/gamified learning, instructor-learner ratio, equipment and manikins, other aspects of contextual learning content, feedback devices, and feedback/debriefing. We found emerging evidence supporting the use of low-dose, high-frequency training with e-learning to achieve knowledge, feedback devices to perform high-quality chest compressions, and in situ team simulations with debriefings to improve the performance of provider teams.