Impact of early coronary angiography on the survival to discharge after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

OBJECTIVE: Acute myocardial infarction is a major cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Coronary angiography (CAG) enables diagnostic confirmation of coronary artery disease and subsequent revascularization, which might improve the prognosis of OHCA survivors. Non-randomized data has shown a favorable impact of CAG on prognosis for this population. However, the optimal timing of CAG has been debated. METHODS: The clinical outcomes of 607 OHCA patients registered in CAPTURES (Cardiac Arrest Pursuit Trial with Unique Registration and Epidemiologic Surveillance), a nationwide multicenter registry performed in 27 hospitals, were analyzed. Early CAG was defined as CAG performed within 24 hours of emergency department admission. The primary outcome was survival to discharge, with neurologically favorable status defined by cerebral performance category scores ≤2. RESULTS: Compared to patients without CAG (n=469), patients who underwent early CAG (n=138) were younger, more likely to be male, and more likely to have received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pre-hospital defibrillation, and revascularization (P<0.01 for all). Analysis of 115 propensity score-matched pairs showed that early CAG is associated with a 2.3-fold increase in survival to discharge with neurologically favorable status (P<0.001, all). Survival to discharge increased consistently according to the time interval between emergency department visit and CAG (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Early CAG of OHCA patients was associated with better survival and favorable neurologic outcomes at discharge. However, there was no clear time threshold for CAG that predicted survival to discharge.

The Utility of Preliminary Patient Evaluation in a Febrile Respiratory Infectious Disease Unit outside the Emergency Department

A febrile respiratory infectious disease unit (FRIDU) with a negative pressure ventilation system was constructed outside the emergency department (ED) of the Samsung Medical Center in 2015, to screen for patients with contagious diseases requiring isolation. We evaluated the utility of the FRIDU during 1 year of operation. We analyzed 1,562 patients who were hospitalized after FRIDU screening between August 2015 and July 2016. The level of isolation recommended during their screening at the FRIDU was compared with the level deemed appropriate given their final diagnosis. Of the 1,562 patients screened at the FRIDU, 198 (13%) were isolated, 194 (12%) were reverse isolated, and 1,170 (75%) were not isolated. While hospitalized, 97 patients (6%) were confirmed to have a contagious disease requiring isolation, such as tuberculosis; 207 patients (13%) were confirmed to be immunocompromised and to require reverse isolation, mainly due to neutropenia; and the remaining 1,258 patients (81%) did not require isolation. The correlation coefficient for isolation consistency was 0.565 (P < 0.001). The sensitivity and negative predictive value of FRIDU screening for diagnosing contagious disease requiring isolation are 76% and 98%, respectively. No serious nosocomial outbreaks of contagious diseases occurred. During FRIDU screening, 114 patients were admitted to the resuscitation zone due to clinical instability, and three of these patients died. The initial isolation levels resulting from FRIDU screening were moderately well correlated with the isolation levels required by the final diagnosis, demonstrating the utility of pre-hospitalization screening units. However, the risks of deterioration during the screening process remain challenges.