Outcomes of arrest patients resuscitated in an emergency department: a prospective, observational study

Abstract

In developing countries, a lack of knowledge about basic life support and overcrowded emergency departments (EDs) may cause problems related to the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and postresuscitation care. We aimed to investigate which factors affect the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival rates among out-of-hospital and in-hospital arrest patients in an upper-middle income country. The study was prospectively conducted from January 2018 to April 2019. All patients resuscitated in the ED, except trauma patients, were included. The out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) groups were followed up for 30 days. The primary outcome was the 30-day-survival rate, while the secondary outcome was the ROSC rate. A total of 177 patients were included in the study (80 OHCA and 97 IHCA patients). Among the OHCA patients, ROSC was achieved at a rate of 58.8%, and a 30-day survival rate of 12.5% was observed. None of the OHCA patients underwent bystander CPR. One of the main factors affecting survival in this group was the time interval until the patient reached the ED. ROSC was achieved in 54.4% of IHCA patients, while 17.5% of them were alive at 30 days. Patients who survived 30 days were significantly younger than those who died within 30 days (56 (46–74) vs. 73 (64.2–83.7) years, respectively). In the IHCA group, patients with creatinine and potassium levels closer to normal survived for 30 days. Effective and rapid fluid-electrolyte treatments of patients with high lactate and potassium levels may improve the mortality rates of these patients. We think that a focus on improving the quality of the prehospital CPR practice in OHCA patients and increasing the rates of bystander CPR by educating the public can positively contribute to outcomes.