| 1. |
- Herlitz, Johan, 1949, et al.
(author)
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Association between interval between call for ambulance and return of spontaneous circulation and survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
- 2006
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In: Resuscitation. - : Elsevier BV. - 0300-9572 .- 1873-1570. ; 71:1, s. 40-6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIM: To describe the association between the interval between the call for ambulance and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. PATIENTS: All patients suffering an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was started, included in the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Registry (SCAR) for whom information about the time of calling for an ambulance and the time of ROSC was available. RESULTS: Among 26,192 patients who were included in SCAR and were not witnessed by the ambulance crew, information about the time of call for an ambulance and the time of ROSC was available in 4847 patients (19%). There was a very strong relationship between the interval between call for an ambulance and ROSC and survival to one month. If the interval was less than or equal to 5 min, 47% survived to one month. If the interval exceeded 30 min, only 5% (n = 35) survived to one month. The vast majority of the latter survivors had a shockable rhythm either on admission of the rescue team or at some time during resuscitation. CONCLUSION: Among patients who have ROSC after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, there is a very strong association between the interval between the call for ambulance and ROSC and survival to one month. However, even if this delay is very long (> 30 min after calling for an ambulance), a small percentage will ultimately survive; they are mainly patients who at some time during resuscitation have a shockable rhythm. The overall percentage of patients for whom CPR continued for more than 30 min who are alive one month later can be assumed to be extremely low.
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| 2. |
- Herlitz, Johan, 1949, et al.
(author)
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Characteristics and outcome amongst young adults suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation is attempted
- 2006
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In: J Intern Med. - : Wiley. - 0954-6820 .- 1365-2796. ; 260:5, s. 435-41
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: Amongst patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, young adults represent a minority. However, these victims suffer from the catastrophe when they are in a very active phase of life and have a long life expectancy. This survey aims to describe young adults in Sweden who suffer from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is attempted in terms of characteristics and outcome. DESIGN: Prospective and descriptive design. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Young adults (18-35 years) who suffered from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in whom CPR was attempted and who were included in the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Registry between 1990 and 2004. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival to 1 month. RESULTS: In all, 1105 young adults (3.1% of all the patients in the registry) were included, of which 29% were females, 51% were nonwitnessed and 15% had a cardiac aetiology. Only 17% were found in ventricular fibrillation, 53% received bystander CPR. The overall survival to 1 month was 6.3%. High survival was found amongst patients found in ventricular fibrillation (20.8%) and those with a cardiac aetiology (14.8%). Ventricular fibrillation at the arrival of the rescue team remained an independent predictor of an increased chance of survival (odds ratio: 7.43; 95% confidence interval: 3.44-16.65). CONCLUSION: Amongst young adults suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and in whom CPR was attempted, a minority survived to 1 month. Subgroups with a higher survival could be defined (patients found in ventricular fibrillation and patients in whom there was a cardiac aetiology). However, only one independent predictor of an increased chance of survival could be demonstrated, i.e. ventricular fibrillation at the arrival of the rescue team.
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| 3. |
- Herlitz, Johan, 1949, et al.
(author)
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Characteristics and outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest when patients are found in a non-shockable rhythm
- 2008
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In: Resuscitation. - : Elsevier BV. - 0300-9572 .- 1873-1570. ; 76:1, s. 31-36
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIM: To define factors associated with an improved outcome among patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) who were found in a non-shockable rhythm. PATIENTS: All the patients included in the Swedish OHCA registry between 1990 and 2005 in whom resuscitation was attempted, who were found in a non-shockable rhythm and where either the OHCA was witnessed by a bystander or was not witnessed. RESULTS: In all, 22,465 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Their mean age was 67 years, 32% were women, 57% were witnessed, 64% had a cardiac aetiology, 71% occurred at home and 34% received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Survival to 1 month was 1.3%. The following were independently associated with an increased chance of survival: 1/Decreasing age, 2/Witnessed arrest, 3/Bystander CPR, 4/Cardiac arrest outside home, 5/Shorter ambulance response time and 6/Need for defibrillatory shock. If these six criteria were fulfilled (age and ambulance response time below the median), survival to 1 month increased to 12.6%. If no criteria were fulfilled, survival was 0.15%. CONCLUSION: The overall survival among patients with an OHCA found in a non-shockable rhythm is very low (1.3%). Six factors associated with survival can be defined. When they are taken into account, survival varies between 12.6 and 0.15%.
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| 4. |
- Herlitz, Johan, 1949, et al.
(author)
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Major differences in 1-month survival between hospitals in Sweden among initial survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
- 2006
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In: Resuscitation. - : Elsevier BV. - 0300-9572 .- 1873-1570. ; 70:3, s. 404-9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIM: To explore the rate of survival to hospital discharge among patients who were brought to hospital alive after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in different hospitals in Sweden. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who had suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest which was not witnessed by the ambulance crew, in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was started and who had a palpable pulse on admission to hospital were evaluated for inclusion. Each participating ambulance organisation and its corresponding hospital(s) required at least 50 patients fulfilling these criteria. RESULTS: Three thousand eight hundred and fifty three patients who were brought to hospital by 21 different ambulance organisations fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The number of patients rescued by each ambulance organisation varied between 55 and 900. The survival rate, defined as alive 1 month after cardiac arrest, varied from 14% to 42%. When correcting for dissimilarities in characteristics and factors of the resuscitation, the adjusted odds ratio for survival to 1 month among patients brought to hospital alive in the three ambulance organisations with the highest survival versus the three with the lowest survival was 2.63 (95% CI: 1.77-3.88). CONCLUSION: There is a marked variability between hospitals in the rate of 1-month survival among patients who were alive on hospital admission after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. One possible contributory factor is the standard of post-resuscitation care.
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