Outcome analysis of traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients according to the mechanism of injury: A nationwide observation study

Seat belt use and cardiac arrest immediately after motor vehicle collision: Nationwide observational study

Objective

Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are known to cause traumatic cardiac arrest; it is unclear whether seat belts prevent this. This study aimed to evaluate the association between seat belt use and immediate cardiac arrest in cases of MVCs.

Method

This cross-sectional observational study used data from a nationwide EMS-based severe trauma registry in South Korea. The sample comprised adult patients with EMS-assessed severe trauma due to MVCs between 2018 and 2019. The primary, secondary, and tertiary outcomes were immediate cardiac arrest, in-hospital mortality, and death or severe disability, respectively. We calculated the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of immediate cardiac arrest with seat belt use after adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Among the 8178 eligible patients, 6314 (77.2 %) and 1864 (29.5 %) were wearing and not wearing seat belts, respectively. Immediate cardiac arrest, mortality, and death/severe disability rates were higher in the "no seat belt use" group than in the "seat belt use" group (9.4 % vs. 4.0 %, 12.4 % vs. 6.2 %, 17.7 % vs. 9.9 %, respectively; p < 0.001). The former group was more likely to experience immediate cardiac arrest (AOR [95 %CI]: 3.29 [2.65-4.08]), in-hospital mortality (AOR [95 %CI]: 2.72 [2.26-3.27]), and death or severe disability (AOR [95 %CI]: 2.40 [2.05-2.80]).

Conclusion

There was an association between wearing seat belts during MVCs and a reduced risk of immediate cardiac arrest.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Traumatic Cardiac Arrests in the Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study

OBJECTIVE

Little is known about survival outcomes after traumatic cardiac arrest in Asia, or the association of Utstein factors with survival after traumatic cardiac arrests. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology and outcomes of traumatic cardiac arrests in Asia, and analyze Utstein factors associated with survival.

METHODS

Traumatic cardiac arrest patients from 13 countries in the Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study registry from 2009 to 2018 were analyzed. Multilevel logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with the primary outcomes of survival to hospital discharge and favorable neurological outcome (Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) 1-2), and the secondary outcome of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).

RESULTS

There were 207,455 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases, of which 13,631 (6.6%) were trauma patients aged 18 years and above with resuscitation attempted and who had survival outcomes reported. The median age was 57 years (interquartile range 39-73), 23.0% received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), 1750 (12.8%) had ROSC, 461 (3.4%) survived to discharge, and 131 (1.0%) had CPC 1-2. Factors associated with higher rates of survival to discharge and favorable neurological outcome were arrests witnessed by emergency medical services or private ambulances (survival to discharge adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.99-4.38; CPC 1-2 aOR = 2.57, 95% CI = 1.25-5.27), bystander CPR (survival to discharge aOR = 2.16; 95% CI 1.71-2.72; CPC 1-2 aOR = 4.98, 95% CI = 3.27-7.57), and initial shockable rhythm (survival to discharge aOR = 12.00; 95% CI = 6.80-21.17; CPC 1-2 aOR = 33.28, 95% CI = 11.39-97.23) or initial pulseless electrical activity (survival to discharge aOR = 3.98; 95% CI = 2.99-5.30; CPC 1-2 aOR = 5.67, 95% CI = 3.05-10.53) relative to asystole.

CONCLUSIONS

In traumatic cardiac arrest, early aggressive resuscitation may not be futile and bystander CPR may improve outcomes.

Prehospital predictors for return of spontaneous circulation in traumatic cardiac arrest

BACKGROUND

Traumatic cardiac arrests (TCAs) are associated with high mortality and the majority of deaths occur at the prehospital scene. The aim of the present study was to assess, in a prehospital physician-led emergency medical system, the factors associated with sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in TCA, including advanced life procedures. The secondary objectives were to assess factors associated with 30-day survival in TCA, evaluate neurological recovery in survivors, and describe the frequency of organ donation among patients experiencing a TCA.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of all TCA patients included in the French nationwide cardiac arrest registry from July 2011 to November 2020. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors independently associated with ROSC.

RESULTS

A total of 120,045 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests were included in the registry, among which 4,922 TCA were eligible for analysis. Return of spontaneous circulation was sustained on-scene in 21.1% (n = 1,037) patients. Factors significantly associated with sustained ROSC were not-asystolic initial rhythms (pulseless electric activity (odds ratio [OR], 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40-2.35; p < 0.001), shockable rhythm (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.12-2.98; p = 0.016), spontaneous activity (OR, 3.66; 95% CI, 2.70-4.96; p < 0.001), and gasping at the mobile medical team (MMT) arrival (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.02-1.94; p = 0.042). The MMT interventions significantly associated with ROSC were as follows: intravenous fluid resuscitation (OR, 3.19; 95% CI, 2.69-3.78; p < 0.001), packed red cells transfusion (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.84-3.51; p < 0.001), and external hemorrhage control (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.31-2.30; p < 0.001). Among patients who survived (n = 67), neurological outcome at Day 30 was favorable (cerebral performance categories 1-2) in 72.2% cases (n = 39/54) and 1.4% (n = 67/4,855) of deceased patients donated one or more organ.

CONCLUSION

Sustained ROSC was frequently achieved in patients not in asystole at MMT arrival, and higher ROSC rates were achieved in patients benefiting from specific advanced life support interventions. Organ donation was somewhat possible in TCA patients undergoing on-scene resuscitation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic and epidemiologic, Level III.

Neurological outcomes after traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest: a systematic review

Background

Despite appropriate care, most patients do not survive traumatic cardiac arrest, and many survivors suffer from permanent neurological disability. The prevalence of non-dismal neurological outcomes remains unclear.

Objectives

The aim of the current review is to summarize and assess the quality of reporting of the neurological outcomes in traumatic cardiac arrest survivors.

Data sources

A systematic review of Embase, Medline, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and ProQuest databases was performed from inception of the database to July 2020.

Study eligibility criteria

Observational cohort studies that reported neurological outcomes of patients surviving traumatic cardiac arrest were included.

Participants and interventions

Patients who were resuscitated following traumatic cardiac arrest.

Study appraisal and synthesis methods

The quality of the included studies was assessed using ROBINS-I (Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies - of Interventions) for observational studies.

Results

From 4295 retrieved studies, 40 were included (n=23 644 patients). The survival rate was 9.2% (n=2168 patients). Neurological status was primarily assessed at discharge. Overall, 45.8% of the survivors had good or moderate neurological recovery, 29.0% had severe neurological disability or suffered a vegetative state, and 25.2% had missing neurological outcomes. Seventeen studies qualitatively described neurological outcomes based on patient disposition and 23 studies used standardized outcome scales. 28 studies had a serious risk of bias and 12 had moderate risk of bias.

Limitations

The existing literature is characterized by inadequate outcome reporting and a high risk of bias, which limit our ability to prognosticate in this patient population.

Conclusions or implications of key findings

Good and moderate neurological recoveries are frequently reported in patients who survive traumatic cardiac arrest. Prospective studies focused on quality of survivorship in traumatic arrest are urgently needed.

Level of evidence

Systematic review, level IV.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020198482.

Refractory Ventricular Fibrillation in Traumatic Cardiac Arrest: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a lethal cardiac arrhythmia that leads to cardiac arrest and death. It is especially deadly when it fails to respond to conventional treatment with electrical defibrillation. This arrhythmia is often triggered by acute myocardial ischemia, but in rare cases, it can be precipitated by direct myocardial trauma. Most patients with traumatic cardiac arrest do not survive, but in a minority of patients, an emergency thoracotomy may improve survival by addressing reversible causes such as haemorrhage control, relief of cardiac tamponade, and direct wound closure. We present an unusual case of a traumatic cardiac arrest, presenting with refractory ventricular fibrillation due to a cardiac laceration in a young trauma patient with an isolated chest injury.