Pulseless electrical activity in in-hospital cardiac arrest - A crossroad for decisions

Background 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). Methods We analyzed 700 IHCA episodes at one Norwegian hospital and three U.S. hospitals at different time periods between 2002 and 2021. During resuscitation ECG, chest compressions, and ventilations were recorded by defibrillators. Each event was manually annotated using a graphical application. We quantified the transition intensities, i.e., the propensity to change from PEA to another clinical state using time-to-event statistical methods. Results Most patients experienced PEA at least once before achieving ROSC or being declared dead. Time average transition intensities to ROSC from primary PEA (n = 230) and secondary PEA after ASY (n = 72) were 0.1 per min, peaking at 4 and 7 minutes, respectively; thus, a patient in these types of PEA showed a 10% chance of achieving ROSC in one minute. Much higher transition intensities to ROSC, average of 0.15 per min, were observed for secondary PEA after VF/VT (n = 83) or after ROSC (n = 134). Discussion 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.This work was partially supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades through grant RTI2018-101475-BI00, jointly with the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), and by the Basque Government through grant IT1229-19. This study has been made possible by DAM foundation and the Norwegian Health Association

Factors Affecting the Course of Resuscitation From Cardiac Arrest With Pulseless Electrical Activity in Children and Adolescents

Background: Although in-hospital pediatric cardiac arrests and cardiopulmonary resuscitation occur >15,000/year in the US, few studies have assessed which factors affect the course of resuscitation in these patients. We investigated transitions from Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA) to Ventricular Fibrillation/pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia (VF/pVT), Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) and recurrences from ROSC to PEA in children and adolescents with in-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods: Episodes of cardiac arrest at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia were prospectively registered. Defibrillators that recorded chest compression depth/rate and ventilation rate were applied. CPR variables, patient characteristics and etiology, and dynamic factors (e.g. the proportion of time spent in PEA or ROSC) were entered as time-varying covariates for the transition intensities under study. Results: In 67 episodes of CPR in 59 patients (median age 15 years) with cardiac arrest, there were 52 transitions from PEA to ROSC, 22 transitions from PEA to VF/pVT, and 23 recurrences of PEA from ROSC. Except for a nearly significant effect of mean compression depth beyond a threshold of 5.7 cm, only dynamic factors that evolved during CPR favored a transition from PEA to ROSC. The latter included a lower proportion of PEA over the last 5 min and a higher proportion of ROSC over the last 5 min. Factors associated with PEA to VF/pVT development were age, weight, the proportion spent in VF/pVT or PEA the last 5 min, and the general transition intensity, while PEA recurrence from ROSC only depended on the general transition intensity. Conclusion: The clinical course during pediatric cardiac arrest was mainly influenced by dynamic factors associated with time in PEA and ROSC. Transitions from PEA to ROSC seemed to be favored by deeper compressions.publishedVersio

Aerobic interval training reduces cardiovascular risk factors more than a multitreatment approach in overweight adolescents

A B S T R A C T The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of a multidisciplinary approach (MTG) and aerobic interval training (AIT) on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight adolescents. A total of 62 overweight and obese adolescents from Trøndelag County in Norway, referred to medical treatment at St Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway, were invited to participate. Of these, 54 adolescents (age, 14.0 + − 0.3 years) were randomized to either AIT (4 × 4 min intervals at 90 % of maximal heart rate, each interval separated by 3 min at 70 %, twice a week for 3 months) or to MTG (exercise, dietary and psychological advice, twice a month for 12 months). Follow-up testing occurred at 3 and 12 months.VO 2 max (maximal oxygen uptake) increased more after AIT compared with MTG, both at 3 months (11 compared with 0 %; P < 0.01) and 12 months (12 compared with −1 %; P < 0.01). AIT enhanced endothelial function compared with MTG at both 3 months (absolute change, 5.1 compared with 3.9 %; P < 0.01) and 12 months (absolute change, 6.3 compared with 1.0 %; P < 0.01). AIT was favourable compared with MTG in reducing BMI (body mass index), percentage of fat, MAP (mean arterial blood pressure) and increasing peak oxygen pulse. In addition, AIT induced a more favourable regulation of blood glucose and insulin compared with MTG. In conclusion, the novel findings of the present proof-of-concept study was that 3 months of twice weekly high-intensity exercise sessions reduced several known cardiovascular risk factors in obese adolescents more than that observed after a multitreatment strategy, which was initiated as hospital treatment. Follow-up at 12 months confirmed that AIT improved or maintained these risk factors to a better degree than MTG

Prehospital critical care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: An observational study examining survival and a stakeholder-focused cost analysis

© 2016 The Author(s). Background: Survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remain low, despite remarkable efforts to improve care. A number of ambulance services in the United Kingdom (UK) have developed prehospital critical care teams (CCTs) which attend critically ill patients, including OHCA. However, current scientific evidence describing CCTs attending OHCA is sparse and research to date has not demonstrated clear benefits from this model of care. Methods: This prospective, observational study will describe the effect of CCTs on survival from OHCA, when compared to advanced-life-support (ALS), the current standard of prehospital care in the UK. In addition, we will describe the association between individual critical care interventions and survival, and also the costs of CCTs for OHCA. To examine the effect of CCTs on survival from OHCA, we will use routine Utstein variables data already collected in a number of UK ambulance trusts. We will use propensity score matching to adjust for imbalances between the CCT and ALS groups. The primary outcome will be survival to hospital discharge, with the secondary outcome of survival to hospital admission. We will record the critical care interventions delivered during CCT attendance at OHCA. We will describe frequencies and aim to use multiple logistic regression to examine possible associations with survival. Finally, we will undertake a stakeholder-focused cost analysis of CCTs for OHCA. This will utilise a previously published Emergency Medical Services (EMS) cost analysis toolkit and will take into account the costs incurred from use of a helicopter and the proportion of these costs currently covered by charities in the UK. Discussion: Prehospital critical care for OHCA is not universally available in many EMS. In the UK, it is variable and largely funded through public donations to charities. If this study demonstrates benefit from CCTs at an acceptable cost to the public or EMS commissioners, it will provide a rationale to increase funding and service provision. If no clinical benefit is found, the public and charities providing these services can consider concentrating their efforts on other areas of prehospital care. Trial registration: ISRCTN registry ID ISRCTN18375201