Resuscitation
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To determine whether initial cardiac arrest rhythm remains a prognostic determinant in longer term OHCA survival. ⋯ Patients with non-shockable (as opposed to shockable) initial arrest rhythms experienced higher mortality in the first 4-years following their OHCA; however, after four years the initial arrest rhythm ceased to be associated with survival.
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Pragmatic Clinical Trial
Airway Strategy and Chest Compression Quality in the Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial.
Chest compression (CC) quality is associated with improved out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (OHCA) outcomes. Airway management efforts may adversely influence CC quality. We sought to compare the effects of initial laryngeal tube (LT) and initial endotracheal intubation (ETI) airway management strategies upon chest compression fraction (CCF), rate and interruptions in the Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial (PART). ⋯ In the PART trial, compared with ETI, LT was associated with shorter total CC interruption duration but not other CC quality measures. CC quality may be associated with OHCA airway management.
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Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is affected after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), but data several years after the arrest are lacking. We assessed long-term HRQoL in OHCA survivors and how known outcome predictors impact HRQoL. ⋯ HRQoL five years after OHCA was good and mainly comparable to a matched reference population. Stratified analyses revealed impaired HRQoL among younger survivors and those awakening late, mainly for mental domains.
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Observational Study
Bystander Interventions and Survival Following Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest at Copenhagen International Airport.
To examine incidence and outcome following out-of-hospital cardiac (OHCA) arrest in a high-risk area characterised by high density of potential bystanders and easy access to nearby automated external defibrillators (AEDs). ⋯ We found a high proportion of bystander defibrillation indicating that bystanders will quickly apply an AED, when accessible. Importantly, 56% of all persons, and all persons with a shockable heart rhythm survived. These findings suggest increased potential for survival following OHCA and support current guidelines to strategically deploy accessible AEDs in high-risk OHCA areas.