QRS complex characteristics and patient outcomes in out-of-hospital pulseless electrical activity cardiac arrest

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-58
Author(s):  
Jung Ho Kim ◽  
Hyun Wook Ryoo ◽  
Jong-yeon Kim ◽  
Jae Yun Ahn ◽  
Sungbae Moon ◽  
...  

BackgroundPulseless electrical activity (PEA) is increasingly observed in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), but outcomes are still poor. We aimed to assess the relationship between QRS characteristics and outcomes of patients with OHCA with initial PEA (OHCA-P).MethodsThis prospective observational study included patients aged at least 18 years who developed OHCA-P between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2018, and were enrolled in the Daegu Emergency Medical Services registry, South Korea. We performed multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify the associations between QRS characteristics and OHCA-P outcomes, in which QRS complexes were considered separately (model 1) and simultaneously (model 2). The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge and the secondary outcome was a favourable neurological outcome.ResultsOf the 3659 patients with OHCA, 576 were enrolled (median age 73 years; 334 men). A higher QRS amplitude was associated with survival to hospital discharge and a favourable neurological outcome in model 1 (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.077 and 1.106, respectively; 95% CI 1.021 to 0.136 and 1.029 to 1.190, respectively) and model 2 (aOR 1.084 and 1.123, respectively; 95% CI 1.026 to 1.145 and 1.036 to 1.216, respectively). A QRS width of <120 ms was associated with survival to hospital discharge and a favourable neurological outcome in model 1 (aOR 3.371 and 4.634, respectively; 95% CI 1.633 to 6.960 and 1.562 to 13.144, respectively) and model 2 (aOR 3.213 and 5.103, respectively; 95% CI 1.568 to 6.584 and 1.682 to 15.482, respectively). Survival to hospital discharge and neurological outcome were not associated with QRS frequency.ConclusionOHCA-P outcomes were better when the initial QRS complex showed a higher amplitude or narrower width.

Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 138 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnar W Skjeflo ◽  
Eirik Skogvoll ◽  
Jan Pål Loennechen ◽  
Theresa M Olasveengen ◽  
Lars Wik ◽  
...  

Introduction: Presence of electrocardiographic rhythm, documented by the electrocardiogram (ECG), in the absence of palpable pulses defines pulseless electrical activity (PEA). Our aims were to examine the development of ECG characteristics during advanced life support (ALS) from Out-of-Hospital-Cardiac-Arrest (OHCA) with initial PEA, and to explore the effects of epinephrine on these characteristics. Methods: Patients with OHCA and initial PEA in a randomized controlled trial of ALS with or without intravenous access and medications were included. QRS widths and heart-rates were measured in recorded ECG signals during pauses in compressions. Statistical analysis was carried out by multivariate regression (MANOVA). Results: Defibrillator recordings from 170 episodes of cardiac arrest were analyzed, 4840 combined measurements of QRS complex width and heart rate were made. By the multivariate regression model both whether epinephrine was administered and whether return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was obtained were significantly associated with changes in QRS width and heart rate. For both control and epinephrine groups, ROSC was preceded by decreasing QRS width and increasing rate, but in the epinephrine group an increase in rate without a decrease in QRS width was associated with poor outcome (fig). Conclusion: The QRS complex characteristics are affected by epinephrine administration during ALS, but still yields valuable prognostic information.


Circulation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 144 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Romolo Gaspari ◽  

Objective: To measure prevalence of discordance between electrical activity recorded by electrocardiography (ECG) and myocardial activity visualized by echocardiography (echo) in patients presenting after cardiac arrest and to compare survival outcomes in cohorts defined by ECG and echo. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a previously published prospective study at twenty hospitals. Patients presenting after out-of-hospital arrest were included. The cardiac electrical activity was defined by ECG and contemporaneous myocardial activity was defined by bedside echo. Myocardial activity by echo was classified as myocardial asystole- -the absence of myocardial movement, pulseless myocardial activity (PMA)--visible myocardial movement but no pulse, and myocardial fibrillation- -visualized fibrillation. Primary outcome was the prevalence of discordance between electrical activity and myocardial activity. Secondary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. Results: 793 patients and 1943 pauses in CPR were included. 28.6% of CPR pauses demonstrated a difference in electrical activity (ECG) and myocardial activity (echo), 5.0% with asystole (ECG) and PMA (echo), and 22.1% with PEA (ECG) and myocardial asystole (echo). Survival to hospital admission for patients with PMA (echo) was 29.1% (95%CI-23.9-34.9) compared to those with PEA (ECG) (21.4%, 95%CI-17.7-25.6). Twenty-five percent of the 32 pauses in CPR with a shockable rhythm by echo demonstrated a non-shockable rhythm by ECG and were not defibrillated. One of these patients survived, a patient with asystole on ECG and vfib by echo survived because vfib was identified on ECG during a subsequent pause and was defibrillated. Conclusion: Patients in cardiac arrest commonly demonstrate different electrical (ECG) and myocardial activity (echo). Further research is needed to better define cardiac activity during cardiac arrest and to explore outcome between groups defined by electrical and myocardial activity.


2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A6.1-A6
Author(s):  
Richard Lyon

IntroductionOut-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a significant cause of death and severe neurological disability. The only postreturn of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) therapy shown to increase survival is mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH). The relationship between body temperature post OHCA and outcome is still poorly defined.MethodsProspective observational study of all OHCA patients admitted to a single centre for a 14-month period. Oesophageal temperature was measured in the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Select patients had prehospital temperature monitoring.Results164 OHCA patients were included in the study. 105 (64.0%) were pronounced dead in the Emergency Department. 59 (36.0%) were admitted to ICU for cooling; 40 (24.4%) died in ICU and 19 (11.6%) survived to hospital discharge. Patients who achieved ROSC and had oesophageal temperature measured prehospital (n=29) had a mean prehospital temperature of 33.9°C (95% CI 33.2 to 34.5). All patients arriving in the ED post OHCA had a relatively low oesophageal temperature (34.3°C, 95% CI 34.1 to 34.6). Patients surviving to hospital discharge were warmer on admission to ICU than patients who died in hospital (35.7°C vs 34.3°C, p<0.05). Patients surviving to hospital discharge also took longer to reach target MTH temperature than non-survivors (2 h 48 min vs 1 h 32 min, p<0.05). There was no difference in mean arterial blood pressure on arrival in the ED between survivors and non-survivors.ConclusionsFollowing OHCA all patients have oesophageal temperatures below normal in the prehospital phase and on arrival in the Emergency Department. This questions the need for prehospital cooling post-OHCA patients. Patients who achieve ROSC following OHCA and survive to hospital discharge are warmer on arrival in ICU and take longer to reach target MTH temperatures compared to patients who die in hospital. The mechanisms of action underlying oesophageal temperature and survival from OHCA remain unclear and further research is warranted to clarify this relationship.


Author(s):  
Thomas Hvid Jensen ◽  
Peter Juhl-Olsen ◽  
Bent Roni Ranghøj Nielsen ◽  
Johan Heiberg ◽  
Christophe Henri Valdemar Duez ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) indices of myocardial function among survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have been related to neurological outcome; however, results are inconsistent. We hypothesized that changes in average peak systolic mitral annular velocity (s’) from 24 h (h) to 72 h following start of targeted temperature management (TTM) predict six-month neurological outcome in comatose OHCA survivors. Methods We investigated the association between peak systolic velocity of the mitral plane (s’) and six-month neurological outcome in a population of 99 patients from a randomised controlled trial comparing TTM at 33 ± 1 °C for 24 h (h) (n = 47) vs. 48 h (n = 52) following OHCA (TTH48-trial). TTE was conducted at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after reaching target temperature. The primary outcome was 180 days neurological outcome assessed by Cerebral Performance Category score (CPC180) and the primary TTE outcome measure was s’. Secondary outcome measures were left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), global longitudinal strain (GLS), e’, E/e’ and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). Results Across all three scan time points s’ was not associated with neurological outcome (ORs: 24 h: 1.0 (95%CI: 0.7–1.4, p = 0.98), 48 h: 1.13 (95%CI: 0.9–1.4, p = 0.34), 72 h: 1.04 (95%CI: 0.8–1.4, p = 0.76)). LVEF, GLS, E/e’, and TAPSE recorded on serial TTEs following OHCA were neither associated with nor did they predict CPC180. Estimated median e’ at 48 h following TTM was 5.74 cm/s (95%CI: 5.27–6.22) in patients with good outcome (CPC180 1–2) vs. 4.95 cm/s (95%CI: 4.37–5.54) in patients with poor outcome (CPC180 3–5) (p = 0.04). Conclusions s’ assessed on serial TTEs in comatose survivors of OHCA treated with TTM was not associated with CPC180. Our findings suggest that serial TTEs in the early post-resuscitation phase during TTM do not aid the prognostication of neurological outcome following OHCA. Trial registration NCT02066753. Registered 14 February 2014 – Retrospectively registered,


Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Marengo ◽  
Wolfgang Ummenhofer ◽  
Gerster Pascal ◽  
Falko Harm ◽  
Marc Lüthy ◽  
...  

Introduction: Agonal respiration has been shown to be commonly associated with witnessed events, ventricular fibrillation, and increased survival during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. There is little information on incidence of gasping for in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). Our “Rapid Response Team” (RRT) missions were monitored between December 2010 and March 2015, and the prevalence of gasping and survival data for IHCA were investigated. Methods: A standardized extended in-hospital Utstein data set of all RRT-interventions occurring at the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland, from December 13, 2010 until March 31, 2015 was consecutively collected and recorded in Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corp., USA). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0 (IBM Corp., USA), and are presented as descriptive statistics. Results: The RRT was activated for 636 patients, with 459 having a life-threatening status (72%; 33 missing). 270 patients (59%) suffered IHCA. Ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia occurred in 42 patients (16% of CA) and were associated with improved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) (36 (97%) vs. 143 (67%; p<0.001)), hospital discharge (25 (68%) vs. 48 (23%; p<0.001)), and discharge with good neurological outcome (Cerebral Performance Categories of 1 or 2 (CPC) (21 (55%) vs. 41 (19%; p<0.001)). Gasping was seen in 128 patients (57% of CA; 46 missing) and was associated with an overall improved ROSC (99 (78%) vs. 55 (59%; p=0.003)). In CAs occurring on the ward (154, 57% of all CAs), gasping was associated with a higher proportion of shockable rhythms (11 (16%) vs. 2 (3%; p=0.019)), improved ROSC (62 (90%) vs. 34 (55%; p<0.001)), and hospital discharge (21 (32%) vs. 7 (11%; p=0.006)). Gasping was not associated with neurological outcome. Conclusions: Gasping was frequently observed accompanying IHCA. The faster in-hospital patient access is probably the reason for the higher prevalence compared to the prehospital setting. For CA on the ward without continuous monitoring, gasping correlates with increased shockable rhythms, ROSC, and hospital discharge.


Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Furqan B Irfan ◽  
Zain A Bhutta ◽  
Tooba Tariq ◽  
Loua A Shaikh ◽  
Pregalathan Govender ◽  
...  

Aim: There is a scarcity of population based studies on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the Middle East and the wider Asian region. This study describes the Epidemiology and outcomes of OHCA in Qatar, a Middle Eastern country. Methods: Data was extracted retrospectively from a national registry on all adult cardiac origin OHCA patients attended by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Qatar, from June 2012 - May 2013. Results: The annual crude incidence rate of cardiac origin OHCA attended by EMS was 23.5 per 100,000. The age-sex standardized incidence rate was 87.83 per 100,000 population. The annual sex-standardized incidence rate for males and females was 91.5 and 84.25 per 100,000 population respectively. Of 447 adult, cardiac origin OHCA patients included in the final analysis, most were male (n=360, 80.5%) with median age of 51 years (IQR = 39-66). Frequently observed nationalities of OHCA cases were Qatari (n=89, 19.9%), Indian (n=74, 16.6%) and Nepalese (n=52, 11.6%). Common initial cardiac arrest rhythms were asystole (n=301, 67.3%), ventricular fibrillation (n=82, 18.3%) and pulseless electrical activity (n=49, 11%). OHCA was unwitnessed (n=220, 49%) in nearly half of the cases while bystanders witnessed it in 170 (38%) patients. Bystander CPR was carried out in 92 (20.6%) of the cases. Of 187 (41.8%) patients who were given shocks, bystander defibrillation was delivered to 12 (2.7%) patients. Prehospital outcomes; 332 (74.3%) patients did not achieve return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), 40 (8.9%) patients achieved unsustainable ROSC, 58 (13%) achieved ROSC till Emergency department (ED) handover and 5 patients achieved ROSC but rearrested again before reaching ED. Survival to hospital discharge occurred in 38 (8.5%) patients. Neurological outcomes were assessed utilizing Cerebral Performance Category [CPC] scores with a favorable CPC score of 1-2 at discharge in 27 (6%) patients, while 11 (2.5%) patients had a poor CPC score of 3-4. Of those with CPC score 1-2 at hospital discharge, 59% and 26% had CPC score 1-2, at 1 and 3 years follow-up respectively. Overall survival was 9.7%. Conclusion: Standardized rates are comparable to western countries, there are significant opportunities to improve outcomes, including better bystander CPR.


Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 138 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsukasa Yagi ◽  
Ken Nagao ◽  
Shigemasa Tani ◽  
Eizo Tachibana ◽  
Nobutaka Chiba ◽  
...  

Background: Cardiac arrest is a major public health issue worldwide. In Japan, the regional disparity of the number of physicians per 100000 population is also a major public health problem. However, it is unknown whether there is the relationship between favorable neurological outcome in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) due to cardiac etiology and this regional disparity. The aim of the present study was to clarify this relationship using the data of the All-Japan Utstein Registry, a prospective, nationwide, population-based registry of OHCA. Methods: From the data of the All-Japan Utstein Registry between 2011 and 2015, we included adult patients who had OHCA due to cardiac etiology. 47 prefectures of Japan were divided into quartiles on the basis of the number of physicians in each prefecture, reported by Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan. In addition, study patients were divided into four groups based on these quartiles. We compared favorable neurological outcome at 30 days after OHCA in each group, using the multivariable logistic-regression analysis. Results: Four quartile ranges of the number of physicians were set for this study (Figure). Moreover, of the 629,471 OHCA victims between 2011 and 2015, 358,993 met the inclusion criteria. Figure represented favorable neurological outcome at 30 days after OHCA in each quartile. In the multivariable analysis, the adjusted odds ratios for Quartile 2, Quartile 3 and Quartile 4 compared with Quartile 1 for favorable neurological outcome at 30 days after OHCA was 0.971 (95%CI 0.918- 1.027; P=0.307), 1.011 (95%CI 0.956- 1.069; P=0.703) and 0.850 (95%CI 0.809- 0.893; P<0.001), respectively. Conclusion: The regions in which the number of physicians per 100000 population was larger were inferior to the regions in which the number of these was smaller, in terms of neurological benefits in patients with OHCA due to cardiac etiology.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document