2019 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations: Summary From the Basic Life Support; Advanced Life Support; Pediatric Life Support; Neonatal Life Support; Education, Implementation, and Teams; and First Aid Task Forces

SSEP N20 and P25 amplitudes predict poor and good neurologic outcomes after cardiac arrest

Background

To assess in comatose patients after cardiac arrest (CA) if amplitudes of two somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) responses, namely, N20-baseline (N20-b) and N20–P25, are predictive of neurological outcome.

Methods

Monocentric prospective study in a tertiary cardiac center between Nov 2019 and July-2021. All patients comatose at 72 h after CA with at least one SSEP recorded were included. The N20-b and N20–P25 amplitudes were automatically measured in microvolts (µV), along with other recommended prognostic markers (status myoclonus, neuron-specific enolase levels at 2 and 3 days, and EEG pattern). We assessed the predictive value of SSEP for neurologic outcome using the best Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC1 or 2 as good outcome) at 3 months (main endpoint) and 6 months (secondary endpoint). Specificity and sensitivity of different thresholds of SSEP amplitudes, alone or in combination with other prognostic markers, were calculated.

Results

Among 82 patients, a poor outcome (CPC 3–5) was observed in 78% of patients at 3 months. The median time to SSEP recording was 3(2–4) days after CA, with a pattern “bilaterally absent” in 19 patients, “unilaterally present” in 4, and “bilaterally present” in 59 patients. The median N20-b amplitudes were different between patients with poor and good outcomes, i.e., 0.93 [0–2.05]µV vs. 1.56 [1.24–2.75]µV, respectively (p < 0.0001), as the median N20–P25 amplitudes (0.57 [0–1.43]µV in poor outcome vs. 2.64 [1.39–3.80]µV in good outcome patients p < 0.0001). An N20-b > 2 µV predicted good outcome with a specificity of 73% and a moderate sensitivity of 39%, although an N20–P25 > 3.2 µV was 93% specific and only 30% sensitive. A low voltage N20-b < 0.88 µV and N20–P25 < 1 µV predicted poor outcome with a high specificity (sp = 94% and 93%, respectively) and a moderate sensitivity (se = 50% and 66%). Association of “bilaterally absent or low voltage SSEP” patterns increased the sensitivity significantly as compared to “bilaterally absent” SSEP alone (se = 58 vs. 30%, p = 0.002) for prediction of poor outcome.

Conclusion

In comatose patient after CA, both N20-b and N20–P25 amplitudes could predict both good and poor outcomes with high specificity but low to moderate sensitivity. Our results suggest that caution is needed regarding SSEP amplitudes in clinical routine, and that these indicators should be used in a multimodal approach for prognostication after cardiac arrest.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13613-022-00999-6.

Association of dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation with initial shockable rhythm and survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE

Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and initial shockable rhythm are crucial predictors of survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, the relationship between dispatcher-assisted CPR (DA-CPR) and initial shockable rhythm is not completely elucidated.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association of DA-CPR with initial shockable rhythm and outcomes.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

This nationwide population-based observational study conducted in Japan included 59 688 patients with witnessed OHCA of cardiac origin after excluding those without bystander CPR. Patients were divided into DA-CPR (n = 42 709) and CPR without dispatcher assistance (unassisted CPR, n = 16 979) groups.

OUTCOME MEASURES AND ANALYSIS

The primary outcome measure was initial shockable rhythm, and secondary outcome measures were 1-month survival and neurologically intact survival. A Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for collapse-to-first-rhythm-analysis time and multivariable logistic regression models were used after propensity score (PS) matching to compare the incidence of initial shockable rhythm and outcomes, respectively.

MAIN RESULTS

Among all patients (mean age 76.7 years), the rates of initial shockable rhythm, 1-month survival and neurologically intact survival were 20.8, 10.7 and 7.0%, respectively. The incidence of initial shockable rhythm in the DA-CPR group (20.4%, 3462/16 979) was significantly higher than that in the unassisted CPR group (18.5%, 3133/16 979) after PS matching (P < 0.0001). However, no significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to the incidence of initial shockable rhythm in the Cox proportional hazards model [adjusted hazard ratio of DA-CPR for initial shockable rhythm compared with unassisted CPR, 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.97-1.02, P = 0.56]. No significant differences were observed in the survival rates in the two groups after PS matching [10.8% (1833/16 979) vs. 10.3% (1752/16 979), P = 0.16] and neurologically intact survival rates [7.3% (1233/16 979) vs. 6.8% (1161/16 979), P = 0.13]. The multivariable logistic regression model showed no significant differences between the groups with regard to survival (adjusted odds ratio of DA-CPR compared with unassisted CPR: 1.00; 95% CI, 0.89-1.13, P = 0.97) and neurologically intact survival (adjusted odds ratio: 1.12; 95% CI, 0.98-1.29, P = 0.14).

CONCLUSION

DA-CPR after OHCA had the same independent association with the likelihood of initial shockable rhythm and 1-month meaningful outcome as unassisted CPR.

Prehospital Cardiac Arrest Airway Management: An NAEMSP Position Statement and Resource Document

Airway management is a critical component of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) resuscitation. Multiple cardiac arrest airway management techniques are available to EMS clinicians including bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation, supraglottic airways (SGAs), and endotracheal intubation (ETI). Important goals include achieving optimal oxygenation and ventilation while minimizing negative effects on physiology and interference with other resuscitation interventions. NAEMSP recommends:Based on the skill of the clinician and available resources, BVM, SGA, or ETI may be considered as airway management strategies in OHCA.Airway management should not interfere with other key resuscitation interventions such as high-quality chest compressions, rapid defibrillation, and treatment of reversible causes of the cardiac arrest.EMS clinicians should take measures to avoid hyperventilation during cardiac arrest resuscitation.Where available for clinician use, capnography should be used to guide ventilation and chest compressions, confirm and monitor advanced airway placement, identify return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and assist in the decision to terminate resuscitation.

Review of novel therapeutics in cardiac arrest (ReNTICA): systematic review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Cardiac arrest remains a common and devastating cause of death and disability worldwide. While targeted temperature management has become standard of care to improve functional neurologic outcome, few pharmacologic interventions have shown similar promise.

METHODS/ANALYSIS

This systematic review will focus on prospective human studies from 2015 to 2020 available in PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE with a primary focus on impact on functional neurologic outcome. Prospective studies that include pharmacologic agents given during or after cardiac arrest will be included. Study selection will be in keeping with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. If sufficient data involving a given agent are available, a meta-analysis will be conducted and compared with current evidence for therapies recommended in international practice guidelines.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Formal ethical approval will not be required as primary data will not be collected. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication, conference presentation and lay press.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (CRD42021230216).

Endotracheal Intubation Versus No Endotracheal Intubation During Cardiopulmonary Arrest in the Emergency Department

Background

There is a lack of studies addressing the short and long-term outcomes of using different airway interventions in patients with cardiopulmonary arrest in the emergency department (ED). This retrospective chart review aimed to investigate the effect of endotracheal intubation (ETI) versus no ETI during cardiopulmonary arrest in the ED on return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to discharge.

Methodology

A total of 168 charts were reviewed from August 2017 to April 2019. Resuscitation characteristics were obtained from Utstein-style-based cardiopulmonary arrest flow sheets.

Results

Unadjusted analysis showed no difference in ROSC (45.5% in ETI vs. 54.5% in no-ETI) (p = 0.08) and survival to hospital discharge at 28 days (26.7% in ETI vs. 73.3% in non-ETI) (p = 0.07) when comparing ETI versus non-ETI airway management methods during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). After adjusting for confounding factors, our regression analysis revealed that the use of ETI is associated with lower odds of ROSC (odds ratio [OR] = 3.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.14-0.84]) and survival to hospital discharge at 28 days (OR = 0.20, 95% CI = [0.04-0.84]).

Conclusions

ETI during CPR in the ED is associated with worse ROSC and survival to hospital discharge at 28 days.

The prevalence of bacteremia in out of hospital cardiac arrest patients presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital

BACKGROUND

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains one of the most common causes of death. There is a scarcity of evidence concerning the prevalence of bacteraemia in cardiac arrest patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED). We aimed to determine the prevalence of bacteraemia in OHCA patients presenting to the ED, as well as study the association between bacteraemia and in-hospital mortality in OHCA patients. In addition, the association between antibiotic use during resuscitation and in-hospital mortality was examined.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This was a study of 200 adult OHCA patients who presented to the ED between 2015 and 2019. Bacteraemia was confirmed if at least one of the blood culture bottles grew a non-skin flora pathogen or if two blood culture bottles grew a skin flora pathogen from two different sites. The prevalence of bacteraemia was 46.5%. Gram positive bacteria, specifically Staphylococcus species, were the most common pathogens isolated from the bacteremic group. 42 patients survived to hospital admission. The multivariate analysis revealed that there was no association between bacteraemia and hospital mortality in OHCA patients (OR = 1.3, 95% CI= 0.2-9.2) with a p-value of .8. There was no association between antibiotic administration during resuscitation and hospital mortality (OR = 0.6, 95% CI= 0.1 - 3.8) with a p-value of .6.

CONCLUSION

In our study, the prevalence of bacteraemia among OHCA patients presenting to the ED was found to be 46.5%. Bacteremic and non-bacteremic OHCA patients had similar initial baseline characteristics and laboratory parameters except for higher serum creatinine and BUN in the bacteremic group. In OHCA patients who survived their ED stay there was no association between hospital mortality and bacteraemia or antibiotic administration during resuscitation. There is a need for randomised controlled trials with a strong patient oriented primary outcome to better understand the association between in-hospital mortality and bacteraemia or antibiotic administration in OHCA patients.KEY MESSAGESWe aimed to determine the prevalence of bacteraemia in OHCA patients presenting to the Emergency Department. In our study, we found that 46.5% of patients presenting to our ED with OHCA were bacteremic.Bacteremic and non-bacteremic OHCA patients had similar initial baseline characteristics and laboratory parameters except for higher serum creatinine and BUN in the bacteremic group.We found no association between bacteraemia and hospital mortality. There was no association between antibiotic administration during resuscitation and hospital mortality.There is a need for randomised controlled trials with a strong patient oriented primary outcome to better understand the association between in-hospital mortality and bacteraemia or antibiotic administration in OHCA patients.

Advanced cardiac life support: lessons from recent trials on how to move forward

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review discusses potential reasons why many recent large trials in advanced cardiac life support have failed to demonstrate a difference in outcomes and suggests some points for consideration in planning future trials.

RECENT FINDINGS

The ARREST trial, a small controlled trial studying the effect of intra-arrest extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO, or E-CPR) on survival and functional outcome in patients with refractory ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest, was stopped after 30 patients for benefit. This stands in contrast to several recent trials enrolling up to several thousand patients and finding no difference. Three ways in which the ARREST trial approach differed from that of other recent trials, and how those differences may contribute to the possibility of detecting the benefit of an intervention, are discussed.

SUMMARY

Refining our ability to select patients with potential to benefit from an intervention, providing those interventions earlier, and tailoring the specifics of an intervention to the individual patient all may be important in design of cardiac arrest trials, as illustrated by the large effect seen in the ARREST trial.

Effects of pre-hospital re-arrest on outcomes based on transfer to a heart attack centre in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

AIM

We aimed to investigate the interaction effects between transfer to a heart attack centre [HAC] and prehospital re-arrest on the clinical outcomes of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest [OHCA].

METHODS

We included adult patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac aetiology from January 2012 to December 2018. The main exposure variable was prehospital re-arrest, defined as recurrence of cardiac arrest with a loss of palpable pulse upon hospital arrival. The other exposure variable was the resuscitation capacity of the receiving hospital [HAC or Non-HAC]. The outcome variable was neurological recovery. A multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine the interaction effects.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 6935 patients. Of these, 21.9% (n = 1521) experienced prehospital re-arrest, whereas 41.3% (n = 2866) were transferred to a non-HAC. The prehospital re-arrest group associated with poor neurological recovery (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-0.29;). Transfer to an HAC had beneficial effects on neurological recovery (AOR, 3.40 [95% CI, 3.04-3.85]. In the interaction model, wherein prehospital re-arrest patients who were transferred to a non-HAC were used as reference, the AOR of prehospital re-arrest patients who were transferred to an HAC, non-re-arrest patients who were transferred to a non-HAC, and non-re-arrest patients who were transferred to a non-HAC was 2.41 (95% CI, 1.73-3.35), 3.09 (95% CI, 2.33-4.10), and 11.07 (95% CI, 8.40-14.59) respectively (interaction p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Transport to a heart attack centre was beneficial to the clinical outcomes of patients who achieved prehospital ROSC after OHCA. The magnitude of that benefit was significantly modified by whether prehospital re-arrest had occurred.

Drug-free tracheal intubation by specialist paramedics (critical care) in a United Kingdom ambulance service: a service evaluation

BACKGROUND

Drug-free tracheal intubation has been a common intervention in the context of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest for many years, however its use by paramedics has recently been the subject of much debate. Recent international guidance has recommended that only those achieving high tracheal intubation success should continue to use it.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective service evaluation of all drug-free tracheal intubation attempts by specialist paramedics (critical care) from South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust between 1st January and 31st December 2019. Our primary outcome was first-pass success rate, and secondary outcomes were success within two attempts, overall success, Cormack-Lehane grade of view, and use of bougie.

RESULTS

There were 663 drug-free tracheal intubations and following screening, 605 were reviewed. There was a first-pass success rate of 81.5%, success within two attempts of 96.7%, and an overall success rate of 98.35%. There were ten unsuccessful attempts (1.65%). Bougie use was documented in 83.4% on the first attempt, 93.5% on the second attempt and 100% on the third attempt, CONCLUSION: Specialist paramedics (critical care) are able to deliver drug-free tracheal intubation with good first-pass success and high overall success and are therefore both safe and competent at this intervention.

EMS agencies with high rates of field termination of resuscitation and longer scene times also have high rates of survival

AIM

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA) management dichotomizes strategies to (1) "scoop-and-run" to a higher level of care or (2) "treat on the X" with the goal of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) before transport, with field termination of resuscitation (FTOR) of unsuccessful resuscitations. We hypothesized that EMS agencies with greater average time on-scene and higher rates of field termination of resuscitation would have more favorable outcomes.

METHODS

The Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) was used to identify OOHCA cases from 2013 to 2018. Agencies in the top and bottom quartiles of on-scene time were categorized as high (HiOST) and low (LoOST); in the top and bottom quartiles of field termination rate were categorized as high (HiTOR) and low (LoTOR). Generalized estimating equation models compared top and bottom quartiles.

RESULTS

We classified 95 agencies as HiOST (average > 25.1 min) or LoOST (average < 19.3 min). We classified 95 agencies as HiTOR (average > 46.5% FTOR) or LoTOR (average < 23.5% FTOR). Controlling for agency characteristics, HiOST had a higher survival to discharge for transported patients (28.1% vs 23.1%, OR = 2.8, 95 %CI 2.1-3.6, p < 0.001), ROSC on emergency department arrival, and favorable neurologic outcome than LoOST. HiTOR had a higher survival to discharge for transported patients (25.6% vs 19.3%, OR = 3.3, 95 %CI 2.5-4.4, p < 0.001), ROSC on emergency department arrival, and favorable neurologic outcome than LoTOR.

CONCLUSION

EMS agencies with higher rates of FTOR and longer on-scene times for patients with OOHCA have higher overall patient survival, ROSC, and favorable neurologic function.

Pulse oximetry waveform: A non-invasive physiological predictor for the return of spontaneous circulation in cardiac arrest patients ---- A multicenter, prospective observational study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of pulse oximetry plethysmography (POP) for the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in cardiac arrest (CA) patients.

METHODS

This was a multicenter, observational, prospective cohort study of patients hospitalized with cardiac arrest at 14 teaching hospitals cross China from December 2013 through November 2014. The study endpoint was ROSC, defined as the restoration of a palpable pulse and an autonomous cardiac rhythm lasting for at least 20 minutes after the completion or cessation of CPR.

RESULTS

150 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients and 291 in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) patients were enrolled prospectively. ROSC was achieved in 20 (13.3%) and 64 (22.0%) patients in these cohorts, respectively. In patients with complete end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO₂) and POP data, patients with ROSC had significantly higher levels of POP area under the curve (AUCp), wave amplitude (Amp) and ETCO₂ level during CPR than those without ROSC (all p < 0.05). Pairwise comparison of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated no significant difference was observed between ETCO₂ and Amp (p = 0.204) or AUCp (p = 0.588) during the first two minutes of resuscitation.

CONCLUSION

POP may be a novel and effective method for predicting ROSC during resuscitation, with a prognostic value similar to ETCO₂ at early stage.

Association of Advanced Airway Insertion Timing and Outcomes After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

STUDY OBJECTIVE

While often prioritized in the resuscitation of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, the optimal timing of advanced airway insertion is unknown. We evaluated the association between the timing of advanced airway (laryngeal tube and endotracheal intubation) insertion attempt and survival to hospital discharge in adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

METHODS

We performed a secondary analysis of the Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial (PART), a clinical trial comparing the effects of laryngeal tube and endotracheal intubation on outcomes after adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. We stratified the cohort by randomized airway strategy (laryngeal tube or endotracheal intubation). Within each subset, we defined a time-dependent propensity score using patients, arrest, and emergency medical services systems characteristics. Using the propensity score, we matched each patient receiving an initial attempt of laryngeal tube or endotracheal intubation with a patient at risk of receiving laryngeal tube or endotracheal intubation attempt within the same minute.

RESULTS

Of 2,146 eligible patients, 1,091 (50.8%) and 1,055 (49.2%) were assigned to initial laryngeal tube and endotracheal intubation strategies, respectively. In the propensity score-matched cohort, timing of laryngeal tube insertion attempt was not associated with survival to hospital discharge: 0 to lesser than 5 minutes (risk ratio [RR]=1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53 to 3.44); 5 to lesser than10 minutes (RR=1.07, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.73); 10 to lesser than 15 minutes (RR=1.17, 95% CI 0.60 to 2.31); or 15 to lesser than 20 minutes (RR=2.09, 95% CI 0.35 to 12.47) after advanced life support arrival. Timing of endotracheal intubation attempt was also not associated with survival: 0 to lesser than 5 minutes (RR=0.50, 95% CI 0.05 to 4.87); 5 to lesser than10 minutes (RR=1.20, 95% CI 0.51 to 2.81); 10 to lesser than15 minutes (RR=1.03, 95% CI 0.49 to 2.14); 15 to lesser than 20 minutes (RR=0.85, 95% CI 0.30 to 2.42); or more than/equal to 20 minutes (RR=0.71, 95% CI 0.07 to 7.14).

CONCLUSION

In the PART, timing of advanced airway insertion attempt was not associated with survival to hospital discharge.

Timing of Prehospital Advanced Airway Management for Adult Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Japan

Background

The timing of advanced airway management (AAM) on patient outcomes after out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest has not been fully investigated. We evaluated the association between the timing of prehospital AAM and 1‐month survival.

Methods and Results

We conducted a secondary analysis of a prospective, nationwide, population‐based out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest registry in Japan. We included emergency medical services–treated adult (≥18 years) out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrests from 2014 through 2017, stratified into initial shockable or nonshockable rhythms. Patients who received AAM at any minute after emergency medical services–initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation underwent risk‐set matching with patients who were at risk of receiving AAM within the same minute using time‐dependent propensity scores. Eleven thousand three hundred six patients with AAM in shockable and 163 796 with AAM in nonshockable cohorts, respectively, underwent risk‐set matching. For shockable rhythms, the risk ratios (95% CIs) of AAM on 1‐month survival were 1.01 (0.89–1.15) between 0 and 5 minutes, 1.06 (0.98–1.15) between 5 and 10 minutes, 0.99 (0.87–1.12) between 10 and 15 minutes, 0.74 (0.59–0.92) between 15 and 20 minutes, 0.61 (0.37–1.00) between 20 and 25 minutes, and 0.73 (0.26–2.07) between 25 and 30 minutes after emergency medical services–initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation. For nonshockable rhythms, the risk ratios of AAM were 1.12 (1.00–1.27) between 0 and 5 minutes, 1.34 (1.25–1.44) between 5 and 10 minutes, 1.39 (1.26–1.54) between 10 and 15 minutes, 1.20 (0.99–1.45) between 15 and 20 minutes, 1.18 (0.80–1.73) between 20 and 25 minutes, 0.63 (0.29–1.38) between 25 and 30 minutes, and 0.44 (0.11–1.69) after 30 minutes.

Conclusions

In this observational study, the timing of AAM was not statistically associated with improved 1‐month survival for shockable rhythms, but AAM within 15 minutes after emergency medical services–initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation was associated with improved 1‐month survival for nonshockable rhythms.

Pediatric Resuscitation

This article describes evidence-based nursing practices for detecting pediatric decompensation and prevention of cardiopulmonary arrest and outlines the process for effective and high-quality pediatric resuscitation and postresuscitation care. Primary concepts include pediatric decompensation signs and symptoms, pediatric resuscitation essential practices, and postresuscitation care, monitoring, and outcomes. Pediatric-specific considerations for family presence during resuscitation, ensuring good outcomes for medically complex children in community settings, and the role of targeted temperature management, continuous electroencephalography, and the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in pediatric resuscitation are also discussed.

RSV pneumonia with or without bacterial co-infection among healthy children

BACKGROUND

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of childhood pneumonia, but there is limited understanding of whether bacterial co-infections affect clinical severity.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study at National Taiwan University Hospital from 2010 to 2019 to compare clinical characteristics and outcomes between RSV with and without bacterial co-infection in children without underlying diseases, including length of hospital stay, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, ventilator use, and death.

RESULTS

Among 620 inpatients with RSV pneumonia, the median age was 1.33 months (interquartile range, 0.67-2 years); 239 (38.6%) under 1 year old; 366 (59.0%) males; 201 (32.4%) co-infected with bacteria. The three most common bacteria are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae. The annually seasonal analysis showed that spring and autumn were peak seasons, and September was the peak month. Compared with single RSV infection, children with bacterial co-infection were younger (p = 0.021), had longer hospital stay (p < 0.001), needed more ICU care (p = 0.02), had higher levels of C-reactive protein (p = 0.009) and more frequent hyponatremia (p = 0.013). Overall, younger age, bacterial co-infection (especially S. aureus), thrombocytosis, and lower hemoglobin level were associated with the risk of requiring ICU care.

CONCLUSION

RSV related bacterial co-infections were not uncommon and assoicated with ICU admission, especially for young children, and more attention should be given. For empirical antibacterial treatment, high-dose amoxicillin-clavulanic acid or ampicillin-sulbactam was recommended for non-severe cases; vancomycin and third-generation cephalosporins were suggested for critically ill patients requiring ICU care.

Assessment of Success and Ease of Insertion of ProSeal™ Laryngeal Mask Airway versus I-gel™ Insertion by Paramedics in Simulated Difficult Airway Using Cervical Collar in Different Positions in Manikins

Background:

Tracheal intubation, a critical intervention, performed by paramedics for airway management in trauma, has an unacceptably low success rate due to difficult airway, restricted access, and inexperience. Thus, the use of supraglottic devices to achieve ventilation has gained popularity.

Aims:

We aimed to compare the success rate, time to achieve ventilation, and ease of insertion of two popular supraglottic devices, ProSeal™ laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) and I-gel™, in simulated difficult airway with limited access in manikins in different positions which were supine, head against the wall, and sitting position like in car seat.

Settings and Design:

This was a prospective interventional study.

Materials and Methods:

After a brief training, 35 paramedics were asked to insert I-gel™ and PLMA in a manikin with cervical collar in 3 positions: head end free (Group A), head against the wall (Group B), and sitting position (Group C), to simulate difficult airway. Success rate and time to achieve ventilation in each position were noted. Each participant graded ease of insertion.

Statistical Analysis:

Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 24.0. Categorical variables were analyzed using a Pearson's Chi-square test. Continuous variables were analyzed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. If there was a normal distribution, a paired t-test was performed. Otherwise, a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

Success rate with I-gel™ was significantly higher than PLMA, 91% versus 77% in Group A, 100% versus 88% in Group B, and 100% versus 74% in Group C. Time to achieve ventilation was shorter with I-gel™ than PLMA, 8.9 versus 15 s in Group A (P < 0.001), 13.1 versus 21.3 s in Group B (P < 0.01), and 18.5 versus 30.3 s in Group C (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

I-gel™ can be an effective device to achieve ventilation in difficult airway with limited access in trauma. More studies are required to validate its success and safety.

Association of Timing of Epinephrine Administration With Outcomes in Adults With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

IMPORTANCE

Administration of epinephrine has been found to be associated with an increased chance of survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), but the optimal timing of administration has not been fully investigated.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain whether there is an association between timing of epinephrine administration and patient outcomes after OHCA.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study included adults 18 years or older with OHCA treated by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel from April 1, 2011, to June 30, 2015. Initial cardiac rhythm was stratified as either initially shockable (ventricular defibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia) or nonshockable (pulseless electrical activity or asystole). Eligible individuals were identified from among publicly available, deidentified patient-level data from the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium Cardiac Epidemiologic Registry, a prospective registry of adults with EMS-treated, nontraumatic OHCA with 10 sites in North America. Data analysis was conducted from May 2019 to April 2021.

EXPOSURES

Interval between advanced life support (ALS)-trained EMS personnel arrival at the scene and the first prehospital intravenous or intraosseous administration of epinephrine.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. In each cohort of initial cardiac rhythms, patients who received epinephrine at any period (minutes) after EMS arrival at the scene were matched with patients who were at risk of receiving epinephrine within the same period using time-dependent propensity scores calculated from patient demographic characteristics, arrest characteristics, and EMS interventions.

RESULTS

Of 41 079 eligible individuals (median [interquartile range] age, 67 [55-79] years), 26 579 (64.7%) were men. A total of 10 088 individuals (24.6%) initially had shockable cardiac rhythms, and 30 991 (75.4%) had nonshockable rhythms. Those who received epinephrine included 8223 patients (81.5%) with shockable cardiac rhythms and 27 901 (90.0%) with nonshockable rhythms. In the shockable cardiac rhythm cohort, the risk ratio (RR) for receipt of epinephrine with survival to hospital discharge was highest between 0 and 5 minutes after EMS arrival (1.12; 95% CI, 0.99-1.26) across the categorized timing of the administration of epinephrine by 5-minute intervals after EMS arrival; however, that finding was not statistically significant. Treating the timing of epinephrine administration as a continuous variable, the RR for survival to hospital discharge decreased 5.5% (95% CI, 3.4%-7.5%; P < .001 for the interaction between epinephrine administration and time to matching) per minute after EMS arrival. In the nonshockable cardiac rhythm cohort, the RR for the association of receipt of epinephrine with survival to hospital discharge was the highest between 0 and 5 minutes (1.28; 95% CI, 0.95-1.72), although not statistically significant, and decreased 4.4% (95% CI, 0.8%-7.9%; P for interaction = .02) per minute after EMS arrival.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Among adults with OHCA, survival to hospital discharge differed across the timing of epinephrine administration and decreased with delayed administration for both shockable and nonshockable rhythms.

Airway management during in-hospital cardiac arrest in adults: UK national survey and interview study with anaesthetic and intensive care trainees

BACKGROUND

The optimal airway management strategy for in-hospital cardiac arrest is unknown.

METHODS

An online survey and telephone interviews with anaesthetic and intensive care trainee doctors identified by the United Kingdom Research and Audit Federation of Trainees. Questions explored in-hospital cardiac arrest frequency, grade and specialty of those attending, proportion of patients receiving advanced airway management, airway strategies immediately available, and views on a randomised trial of airway management strategies during in-hospital cardiac arrest.

RESULTS

Completed surveys were received from 128 hospital sites (76% response rate). Adult in-hospital cardiac arrests were attended by anaesthesia staff at 40 sites (31%), intensive care staff at 37 sites (29%) and a combination of specialties at 51 sites (40%). The majority (123/128, 96%) of respondents reported immediate access to both tracheal intubation and supraglottic airways. A bag-mask technique was used 'very frequently' or 'frequently' during in-hospital cardiac arrest by 111/128 (87%) of respondents, followed by supraglottic airways (101/128, 79%) and tracheal intubation (69/128, 54%). The majority (60/100, 60%) of respondents estimated that ≤30% of in-hospital cardiac arrest patients undergo tracheal intubation, while 34 (34%) estimated this to be between 31% and 70%. Most respondents (102/128, 80%) would be 'likely' or 'very likely' to recruit future patients to a trial of alternative airway management strategies during in-hospital cardiac arrest. Interview data identified several barriers and facilitators to conducting research on airway management in in-hospital cardiac arrest.

CONCLUSIONS

There is variation in airway management strategies for adult in-hospital cardiac arrest across the UK. Most respondents would be willing to take part in a randomised trial of airway management during in-hospital cardiac arrest.

Professional Assessment Tool for Team Improvement: An assessment tool for paediatric intensive care unit nurses' technical and nontechnical skills

BACKGROUND

Cardiorespiratory arrests are rare in paediatric intensive care units, yet intensive care nurses must be able to initiate resuscitation before medical assistance is available. For resuscitation to be successful, instant decision-making, team communication, and the coordinating role of the first responsible nurse are crucial. In-house resuscitation training for nurses includes technical and nontechnical skills.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to develop a valid, reliable, and feasible assessment instrument, called the Professional Assessment Tool for Team Improvement, for the first responsible nurse's technical and nontechnical skills.

METHODS

Instrument development followed the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments guidelines and professionals' expertise. To establish content validity, experts reached consensus via group discussions about the content and the operationalisation of this team role. The instrument was tested using two resuscitation assessment scenarios. Inter-rater reliability was established by assessing 71 nurses in live scenario sessions and videotaped sessions, using intraclass correlation coefficients and Cohen's kappa. Internal consistency for the total instrument was established using Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed by examining the associations between raters' assessments and nurses' self-assessment scores.

RESULTS

The final instrument included 12 items, divided into four categories: Team role, Teamwork and communication, Technical skills, and Reporting. Intraclass correlation coefficients were good in both live and videotaped sessions (0.78-0.87). Cronbach's alpha was stable around 0.84. Feasibility was approved (assessment time reduced by >30%).

CONCLUSIONS

The Professional Assessment Tool for Team Improvement appears to be a promising valid and reliable instrument to assess both technical and nontechnical skills of the first responsible paediatric intensive care unit nurse. The ability of the instrument to detect change over time (i.e., improvement of skills after training) needs to be established.

The cardiac arrest centre for the treatment of sudden cardiac arrest due to presumed cardiac cause - aims, function and structure: Position paper of the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care of the European Society of Cardiology (AVCV), European Association of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (EAPCI), European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), European Resuscitation Council (ERC), European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM) and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM)

Approximately 10% of patients resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survive to hospital discharge. Improved management to improve outcomes is required, and it is proposed that such patients should be preferentially treated in cardiac arrest centres. The minimum requirements of therapy modalities for the cardiac arrest centre are 24/7 availability of an on-site coronary angiography laboratory, an emergency department, an intensive care unit, imaging facilities such as echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and a protocol outlining transfer of selected patients to cardiac arrest centres with additional resources (out-of-hospital cardiac arrest hub hospitals). These hub hospitals are regularly treating a high volume of patients and offer further treatment modalities. This consensus document describes the aims, the minimal requirements for therapeutic modalities and expertise, and the structure, of a cardiac arrest centre. It represents a consensus among the major European medical associations and societies involved in the treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.

[Cardiac arrest under special circumstances]

These guidelines of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) Cardiac Arrest under Special Circumstances are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. This section provides guidelines on the modifications required for basic and advanced life support for the prevention and treatment of cardiac arrest under special circumstances; in particular, specific causes (hypoxia, trauma, anaphylaxis, sepsis, hypo-/hyperkalaemia and other electrolyte disorders, hypothermia, avalanche, hyperthermia and malignant hyperthermia, pulmonary embolism, coronary thrombosis, cardiac tamponade, tension pneumothorax, toxic agents), specific settings (operating room, cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterization laboratory, dialysis unit, dental clinics, transportation [in-flight, cruise ships], sport, drowning, mass casualty incidents), and specific patient groups (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neurological disease, morbid obesity, pregnancy).

[Adult advanced life support]

These European Resuscitation Council Advanced Life Support guidelines are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. This section provides guidelines on the prevention of and ALS treatments for both in-hospital cardiac arrest and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Esmolol during cardiopulmonary resuscitation reduces neurological injury in a porcine model of cardiac arrest

Primary vasopressor efficacy of epinephrine during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is due to its α-adrenergic effects. However, epinephrine plays β1-adrenergic actions, which increasing myocardial oxygen consumption may lead to refractory ventricular fibrillation (VF) and poor outcome. Effects of a single dose of esmolol in addition to epinephrine during CPR were investigated in a porcine model of VF with an underlying acute myocardial infarction. VF was ischemically induced in 16 pigs and left untreated for 12 min. During CPR, animals were randomized to receive epinephrine (30 µg/kg) with either esmolol (0.5 mg/kg) or saline (control). Pigs were then observed up to 96 h. Coronary perfusion pressure increased during CPR in the esmolol group compared to control (47 ± 21 vs. 24 ± 10 mmHg at min 5, p < 0.05). In both groups, 7 animals were successfully resuscitated and 4 survived up to 96 h. No significant differences were observed between groups in the total number of defibrillations delivered prior to final resuscitation. Brain histology demonstrated reductions in cortical neuronal degeneration/necrosis (score 0.3 ± 0.5 vs. 1.3 ± 0.5, p < 0.05) and hippocampal microglial activation (6 ± 3 vs. 22 ± 4%, p < 0.01) in the esmolol group compared to control. Lower circulating levels of neuron specific enolase were measured in esmolol animals compared to controls (2[1-3] vs. 21[16-52] ng/mL, p < 0.01). In this preclinical model, β1-blockade during CPR did not facilitate VF termination but provided neuroprotection.

Effects of the non-contact cardiopulmonary resuscitation training using smart technology

Aims

Accurate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performance is an essential skill for nursing students so they need to learn the skill correctly from the beginning and carry that forward with them into their clinical practice. For the new normal after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), safe training modules should be developed. This study aimed to develop non-contact CPR training using smart technology for nursing students and to examine its effects, focusing on the accuracy of their performance. The study used a prospective, single-blind, randomized, and controlled trial with repeated measures.

Methods and results

The non-contact CPR training with smart technology consisted of a 40-min theoretical online lecture session and an 80-min non-contact practice session with real-time feedback devices and monitoring cameras. Sixty-four nursing students were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 31) using non-contact training or a control group (n = 33) using general training. The accuracy of chest compression and mouth-to-mouth ventilation, and overall performance ability were measured at pretest, right after training, and at a 4-week post-test. The non-contact CPR training significantly increased the accuracy of chest compression (F = 63.57, P < 0.001) and mouth-to-mouth ventilation (F = 33.83, P < 0.001), and the overall performance ability (F = 35.98, P < 0.001) compared to the general CPR training over time.

Conclusions

The non-contact CPR training using smart technology help nursing students develop their techniques by self-adjusting compression depth, rate, release and hand position, and ventilation volume and rate in real time. Nursing students can learn CPR correctly through the training allowing real-time correction in safe learning environments without face-to-face contact.

Adhering to Social Distancing Rules Using a "Split Patient" Model With Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice in Pediatric High-Fidelity Simulations

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has required simulation-based medical education to adapt to physical distancing regulations in order to protect learners and facilitators. The "split patient" model allows for physical distancing of learners in pediatric high-fidelity simulations. This model was able to be used with the Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice to teach pediatric residents basic and advanced life support skills and the principles of Crisis Resource Management.

European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Adult advanced life support

These European Resuscitation Council Advanced Life Support guidelines, are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. This section provides guidelines on the prevention of and ALS treatments for both in-hospital cardiac arrest and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Cardiac arrest in special circumstances

These European Resuscitation Council (ERC) Cardiac Arrest in Special Circumstances guidelines are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. This section provides guidelines on the modifications required to basic and advanced life support for the prevention and treatment of cardiac arrest in special circumstances; specifically special causes (hypoxia, trauma, anaphylaxis, sepsis, hypo/hyperkalaemia and other electrolyte disorders, hypothermia, avalanche, hyperthermia and malignant hyperthermia, pulmonary embolism, coronary thrombosis, cardiac tamponade, tension pneumothorax, toxic agents), special settings (operating room, cardiac surgery, catheter laboratory, dialysis unit, dental clinics, transportation (in-flight, cruise ships), sport, drowning, mass casualty incidents), and special patient groups (asthma and COPD, neurological disease, obesity, pregnancy).

Validity and Reliability of a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Attitudes Questionnaire Among Allied Health Profession Students

Aim

To investigate the structural validity and internal consistency of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation attitudes questionnaire among Allied Health Professions (AHP) university students.

Methods

Structural validity of a 17-item questionnaire was tested using principal component analysis. A group of AHP university students completed the questionnaire. Internal consistency of the questionnaire was measured by Cronbach’s α.

Results

A total of 856 AHP students completed the questionnaire (mean age= 20.8 (±1.1) years, 74.0% were females). The analysis reduced a 17-item questionnaire to an 11-item questionnaire. The final questionnaire had three distinct factors; (1) attitudes towards mouth-to-mouth ventilation (MMV), (2) attitudes towards chest compressions (CC), and (3) the importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It had factor loadings ranging from 0.629 to 0.878 and could explain 66% of the variance in the attitude. The questionnaire had acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach α=0.83; 95% CI=81.5) and was feasible with no floor or ceiling effect.

Conclusion

The 11-item CPR attitude questionnaire had acceptable structural validity and internal consistency and good parsimony and unidimensionality. The questionnaire can be used to measure the university students’ attitude and assess the effectiveness of CPR training activities. Future studies are required to measure the responsiveness and applicability to other cohorts.

Steroid use after cardiac arrest is associated with favourable outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The effect of steroid use on outcomes in patients with cardiac arrest (CA) remains controversial. We systematically reviewed the literature to investigate whether steroid use after CA increased the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rate and survival to discharge in patients with CA.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, CNKI, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies on the effect of steroid use on outcomes in adults with CA. The outcomes were ROSC and survival to discharge.

Results

Seven studies (four RCTs and three observational studies) were included. Pooled analysis suggested that steroid use was associated with increased ROSC in patients with CA. Steroid use was significantly associated with survival to discharge, which was a consistent finding in RCTs and observational studies. Subgroup analysis based on the time of drug administration (during cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] vs. after CA) showed that steroid use during CPR and after CA were significantly associated with an increased rate of ROSC and survival to discharge.

Conclusion

Current evidence indicates that steroid use after CA could increase ROSC and survival to discharge in patients with CA. However, high-quality and adequately powered RCTs are warranted.

Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Adults. Interim Guideline Consensus Statement From the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization

DISCLAIMER

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly being deployed for selected patients in cardiac arrest who do not attain a native circulation with conventional CPR (ECPR). This ELSO guideline is intended to be a practical guide to implementing ECPR and the early management following establishment of ECMO support. Where a paucity of high-quality evidence exists, a consensus has been reached amongst the authors to provide guidance to the clinician. This guideline will be updated as further evidence in this field becomes available.

The Effect of Initial Oxygen Exposure on Diaphragm Activity in Preterm Infants at Birth

Background: The initial FiO2 that should be used for the stabilization of preterm infants in the delivery room (DR) is still a matter of debate as both hypoxia and hyperoxia should be prevented. A recent randomized controlled trial showed that preterm infants [gestational age (GA) < 30 weeks] stabilized with an initial high FiO2 (1.0) had a significantly higher breathing effort than infants stabilized with a low FiO2 (0.3). As the diaphragm is the main respiratory muscle in these infants, we aimed to describe the effects of the initial FiO2 on diaphragm activity. Methods: In a subgroup of infants from the original bi-center randomized controlled trial diaphragm activity was measured with transcutaneous electromyography of the diaphragm (dEMG), using three skin electrodes that were placed directly after birth. Diaphragm activity was compared in the first 5 min after birth. From the dEMG respiratory waveform several outcome measures were determined for comparison of the groups: average peak- and tonic inspiratory activity (dEMGpeak and dEMGton, respectively), inspiratory amplitude (dEMGamp), area under the curve (dEMGAUC) and the respiratory rate (RR). Results: Thirty-one infants were included in this subgroup, of which 29 could be analyzed [n = 15 (median GA 28.4 weeks) and n = 14 (median GA 27.9 weeks) for the 100 and 30% oxygen group, respectively]. Tonic diaphragm activity was significantly higher in the high FiO2-group (4.3 ± 2.1 μV vs. 2.9 ± 1.1 μV; p = 0.047). The other dEMG-parameters (dEMGpeak, dEMGamp, dEMGAUC) showed consistently higher values in the high FiO2 group, but did not reach statistical significance. Average RR showed similar values in both groups (34 ± 9 vs. 32 ± 10 breaths/min for the high and low oxygen group, respectively). Conclusion: Preterm infants stabilized with an initial high FiO2 showed significantly more tonic diaphragm activity and an overall trend toward a higher level of diaphragm activity than those stabilized with an initial low FiO2. These results confirm that a high initial FiO2 after birth stimulates breathing effort, which can be objectified with dEMG.

The limitations of evidence: increasing data and increasing doubt in the treatment of cardiac arrest

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cardiac arrest is one of the most challenging disease processes to study with clinical trials due to the emergent and unpredictable nature of these events and complexity of the patient population. In recent years, there has been a major push to complete more large, multicentre trials. In many cases, however, there remains little certainty on what treatments are most efficacious, in spite of the recent increase in evidence. This review was undertaken to address some of the unique barriers to address answering research questions in cardiac arrest with clinical trials.

RECENT FINDINGS

Multiple examples of trials that have failed to reach definitive conclusions, and potential reasons for this, are discussed.

SUMMARY

Trials on multiple major cardiac arrest interventions, including temperature management, drugs during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and airway management, now have high-quality randomized trials, but significant questions on efficacy and best practices remain. Common pitfalls and reasons for this are explored, including heterogeneity of patients and providers, variability in exact interventions studied, delay in starting research interventions and lack of consistency across systems in decision making around appropriateness for resuscitation.

2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations

This 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR) for neonatal life support includes evidence from 7 systematic reviews, 3 scoping reviews, and 12 evidence updates. The Neonatal Life Support Task Force generally determined by consensus the type of evidence evaluation to perform; the topics for the evidence updates followed consultation with International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation member resuscitation councils. The 2020 CoSTRs for neonatal life support are published either as new statements or, if appropriate, reiterations of existing statements when the task force found they remained valid.Evidence review topics of particular interest include the use of suction in the presence of both clear and meconium-stained amniotic fluid, sustained inflations for initiation of positive-pressure ventilation, initial oxygen concentrations for initiation of resuscitation in both preterm and term infants, use of epinephrine (adrenaline) when ventilation and compressions fail to stabilize the newborn infant, appropriate routes of drug delivery during resuscitation, and consideration of when it is appropriate to redirect resuscitation efforts after significant efforts have failed.All sections of the Neonatal Resuscitation Algorithm are addressed, from preparation through to postresuscitation care. This document now forms the basis for ongoing evidence evaluation and reevaluation, which will be triggered as further evidence is published.Over 140 million babies are born annually worldwide (https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/births-and-deaths-projected-to-2100). If up to 5% receive positive-pressure ventilation, this evidence evaluation is relevant to more than 7 million newborn infants every year. However, in terms of early care of the newborn infant, some of the topics addressed are relevant to every single baby born.

Cardiac arrest: An interdisciplinary scoping review of the literature from 2019

OBJECTIVES

The Interdisciplinary Cardiac Arrest Research Review (ICARE) group was formed in 2018 to conduct a systematic annual search of peer-reviewed literature relevant to cardiac arrest. Now in its second year, the goals of the review are to illustrate best practices in research and help reduce compartmentalization of knowledge by disseminating clinically relevant advances in the field of cardiac arrest across disciplines.

METHODS

An electronic search of PubMed using keywords related to cardiac arrest was conducted. Title and abstracts retrieved by these searches were screened for relevance, classified by article type (original research or review), and sorted into 7 categories. Screened manuscripts underwent standardized scoring of overall methodological quality and impact on the categorized fields of study by reviewer teams lead by a subject-matter expert editor. Articles scoring higher than 99 percentiles by category-type were selected for full critique. Systematic differences between editors' and reviewers' scores were assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

RESULTS

A total of 3348 articles were identified on initial search; of these, 1364 were scored after screening for relevance and deduplication, and forty-five underwent full critique. Epidemiology & Public Health represented 24% of fully reviewed articles with Prehospital Resuscitation, Technology & Care, and In-Hospital Resuscitation & Post-Arrest Care Categories both representing 20% of fully reviewed articles. There were no significant differences between editor and reviewer scoring.

CONCLUSIONS

The sheer number of articles screened is a testament to the need for an accessible source calling attention to high-quality and impactful research and serving as a high-yield reference for clinicians and scientists seeking to follow the ever-growing body of cardiac arrest-related literature. This will promote further development of the unique and interdisciplinary field of cardiac arrest medicine.

The cardiac arrest centre for the treatment of sudden cardiac arrest due to presumed cardiac cause: aims, function, and structure: position paper of the ACVC association of the ESC, EAPCI, EHRA, ERC, EUSEM, and ESICM

Approximately 10% of patients resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survive to hospital discharge. Improved management to improve outcomes are required, and it is proposed that such patients should be preferentially treated in cardiac arrest centres (CACs). The minimum requirements of therapy modalities for the CAC are 24/7 availability of an on-site coronary angiography laboratory, an emergency department, an intensive care unit, imaging facilities, such as echocardiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, and a protocol outlining transfer of selected patients to CACs with additional resources (OHCA hub hospitals). These hub hospitals are regularly treating a high volume of patients and offer further treatment modalities. This consensus document describes the aims, the minimal requirements for therapeutic modalities and expertise, and the structure, of a CAC. It represents a consensus among the major European medical associations and societies involved in the treatment of OHCA patients.

Pediatric Life Support: 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations

This 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR) for pediatric life support is based on the most extensive evidence evaluation ever performed by the Pediatric Life Support Task Force. Three types of evidence evaluation were used in this review: systematic reviews, scoping reviews, and evidence updates. Per agreement with the evidence evaluation recommendations of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, only systematic reviews could result in a new or revised treatment recommendation. Systematic reviews performed for this 2020 CoSTR for pediatric life support included the topics of sequencing of airway-breaths-compressions versus compressions-airway-breaths in the delivery of pediatric basic life support, the initial timing and dose intervals for epinephrine administration during resuscitation, and the targets for oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in pediatric patients after return of spontaneous circulation. The most controversial topics included the initial timing and dose intervals of epinephrine administration (new treatment recommendations were made) and the administration of fluid for infants and children with septic shock (this latter topic was evaluated by evidence update). All evidence reviews identified the paucity of pediatric data and the need for more research involving resuscitation of infants and children.

Adult Advanced Life Support: 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science with Treatment Recommendations

This 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations for advanced life support includes updates on multiple advanced life support topics addressed with 3 different types of reviews. Topics were prioritized on the basis of both recent interest within the resuscitation community and the amount of new evidence available since any previous review. Systematic reviews addressed higher-priority topics, and included double-sequential defibrillation, intravenous versus intraosseous route for drug administration during cardiac arrest, point-of-care echocardiography for intra-arrest prognostication, cardiac arrest caused by pulmonary embolism, postresuscitation oxygenation and ventilation, prophylactic antibiotics after resuscitation, postresuscitation seizure prophylaxis and treatment, and neuroprognostication. New or updated treatment recommendations on these topics are presented. Scoping reviews were conducted for anticipatory charging and monitoring of physiological parameters during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Topics for which systematic reviews and new Consensuses on Science With Treatment Recommendations were completed since 2015 are also summarized here. All remaining topics reviewed were addressed with evidence updates to identify any new evidence and to help determine which topics should be the highest priority for systematic reviews in the next 1 to 2 years.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Assessments of Regional Cerebral Oxygen Saturation for the Prediction of Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Cardiac Arrest: A Review of Clinical Impact, Evolution, and Future Directions

Despite three decades of advancements in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) methods and post-resuscitation care, neurological prognosis remains poor among survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and there are no reliable methods for predicting neurological outcomes in patients with cardiac arrest (CA). Adopting more effective methods of neurological monitoring may aid in improving neurological outcomes and optimizing therapeutic interventions for each patient. In the present review, we summarize the development, evolution, and potential application of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in adults with CA, highlighting the clinical relevance of NIRS brain monitoring as a predictive tool in both pre-hospital and in-hospital settings. Several clinical studies have reported an association between various NIRS oximetry measurements and CA outcomes, suggesting that NIRS monitoring can be integrated into standardized CPR protocols, which may improve outcomes among patients with CA. However, no studies have established acceptable regional cerebral oxygen saturation cut-off values for differentiating patient groups based on return of spontaneous circulation status and neurological outcomes. Furthermore, the point at which resuscitation efforts can be considered futile remains to be determined. Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are required to evaluate the impact of NIRS monitoring on survival and neurological recovery following CA.

Evaluation of prognostic prediction models for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Introduction:

Accurate prognostic prediction of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is challenging but important for the emergency team and patient’s family members. A number of prognostic prediction models specifically designed for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are developed and validated worldwide.

Objective:

This narrative review provides an overview of the prognostic prediction models out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients for use in the emergency department.

Discussion:

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest prognostic prediction models are potentially useful in clinical, administrative and research settings. Development and validation of such models require prehospital and hospital predictor and outcome variables which are best in the standardised Utstein Style. Logistic regression analysis is traditionally employed for model development but machine learning is emerging as the new tool. Examples of such models available for use in the emergency department include ROSC After Cardiac Arrest, CaRdiac Arrest Survival Score, Utstein-Based Return of Spontaneous Circulation, Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, Cardiac Arrest Hospital Prognosis and Cardiac Arrest Survival Score. The usefulness of these models awaits future studies.

Neonatal Life Support: 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations

This 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR) for neonatal life support includes evidence from 7 systematic reviews, 3 scoping reviews, and 12 evidence updates. The Neonatal Life Support Task Force generally determined by consensus the type of evidence evaluation to perform; the topics for the evidence updates followed consultation with International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation member resuscitation councils. The 2020 CoSTRs for neonatal life support are published either as new statements or, if appropriate, reiterations of existing statements when the task force found they remained valid. Evidence review topics of particular interest include the use of suction in the presence of both clear and meconium-stained amniotic fluid, sustained inflations for initiation of positive-pressure ventilation, initial oxygen concentrations for initiation of resuscitation in both preterm and term infants, use of epinephrine (adrenaline) when ventilation and compressions fail to stabilize the newborn infant, appropriate routes of drug delivery during resuscitation, and consideration of when it is appropriate to redirect resuscitation efforts after significant efforts have failed. All sections of the Neonatal Resuscitation Algorithm are addressed, from preparation through to postresuscitation care. This document now forms the basis for ongoing evidence evaluation and reevaluation, which will be triggered as further evidence is published. Over 140 million babies are born annually worldwide (https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/births-and-deaths-projected-to-2100). If up to 5% receive positive-pressure ventilation, this evidence evaluation is relevant to more than 7 million newborn infants every year. However, in terms of early care of the newborn infant, some of the topics addressed are relevant to every single baby born.

Education, Implementation, and Teams: 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations

For this 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations, the Education, Implementation, and Teams Task Force applied the population, intervention, comparator, outcome, study design, time frame format and performed 15 systematic reviews, applying the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation guidance. Furthermore, 4 scoping reviews and 7 evidence updates assessed any new evidence to determine if a change in any existing treatment recommendation was required. The topics covered included training for the treatment of opioid overdose; basic life support, including automated external defibrillator training; measuring implementation and performance in communities, and cardiac arrest centers; advanced life support training, including team and leadership training and rapid response teams; measuring cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance, feedback devices, and debriefing; and the use of social media to improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation application.

Pediatric Life Support: 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations

This 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR) for pediatric life support is based on the most extensive evidence evaluation ever performed by the Pediatric Life Support Task Force. Three types of evidence evaluation were used in this review: systematic reviews, scoping reviews, and evidence updates. Per agreement with the evidence evaluation recommendations of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, only systematic reviews could result in a new or revised treatment recommendation. Systematic reviews performed for this 2020 CoSTR for pediatric life support included the topics of sequencing of airway-breaths-compressions versus compressions-airway-breaths in the delivery of pediatric basic life support, the initial timing and dose intervals for epinephrine administration during resuscitation, and the targets for oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in pediatric patients after return of spontaneous circulation. The most controversial topics included the initial timing and dose intervals of epinephrine administration (new treatment recommendations were made) and the administration of fluid for infants and children with septic shock (this latter topic was evaluated by evidence update). All evidence reviews identified the paucity of pediatric data and the need for more research involving resuscitation of infants and children.