Resuscitation
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Little is known about automated external defibrillator (AED) functionality in real-life settings. We aimed to assess the functionality of all registered AEDs in a geographically selected area and calculate the proportion of historical out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) covered by non-functioning AEDs. ⋯ Almost one-fifth of all registered and publicly available AEDs were not functional, primarily due to expired electrodes, failed self-tests or obstacles to retrieving AEDs. One in twenty historical OHCA was covered by a non-functional AED. Although general AED functionality was high, this finding underlines the importance of regular AED maintenance.
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The prognostic role of the Pupillary Pain Index (PPI), derived from automated pupillometry, remains unknown in post-anoxic brain injury. ⋯ In this study, PPI = 1 on day 2 could predict UO in comatose CA patients with 100% specificity, but with a low sensitivity (yet higher than NPi). The agreement between PPI and NPi values was moderate.
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Post-arrest care is essential to the chain of survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Sparse literature evaluates disparities in post-arrest care. We sought to measure post-arrest care disparities using a statewide OHCA registry. ⋯ Minority OHCA victims experienced disparities in post-arrest care and outcomes. However, adjusting for receiving hospital random-effect largely diminished these findings. Inter-hospital, post-arrest care disparities may exist.
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PEA is often seen during resuscitation, either as the presenting clinical state in cardiac arrest or as a secondary rhythm following transient return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia (VF/VT), or asystole (ASY). The aim of this study was to explore and quantify the evolution from primary/secondary PEA to ROSC in adults during in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). ⋯ PEA is a crossroad in which the subsequent course is determined. The four distinct presentations of PEA behave differently on important characteristics. A transition to PEA during resuscitation should encourage the resuscitation team to continue resuscitative efforts.