Outcome of Pediatric Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We analyzed the characteristics and outcome of pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. METHODS: Pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from January 2000 to December 2005 at two tertiary hospitals were described and evaluated using the Utstein style. We reviewed the records retrospectively and analyzed the outcome variables which were any return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), sustained ROSC, survived event, and survival to hospital discharge. Neurologic outcome was assessed by the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) scale. RESULTS: The study included 62 children with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Any ROSC was achieved in twenty patients (32.3%). Sustained ROSC of any ROSC group was achieved in sixteen patients (80.0%). Of the sustained ROSC group, fourteen patients (87.5%) were admitted to hospital, and only four patients (28.6%) of survived event group survived to hospital discharge. The prevalent etiology were injuries. Although 35 children (56.5%) of the arrests occurred at home with family members present, only 1 patients received bystander CPR. Nonshockable rhythm (96.8%) were showed more than shockable rhythm (3.2%). In any ROSC group, time to initiation of CPR was 9.3 minutes,duration of total CPR was 20.4 minutes. CONCLUSION: Mortality of pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was high and neurologic outcome was poor. Factors that increased survival rate were prevention of injuries, enhanced education programs of bystander CPR, rapid initiation of CPR.