Quality of resuscitation by first responders using the 'public access resuscitator': a randomized manikin study.

AIM: The CAREvent Public Access Resuscitator (PAR) is an electronic, oxygen-driven cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) device allowing volume-controlled ventilation with a face mask and guiding the rescuer through the resuscitation with voice prompts and visual indications. We hypothesized that 1 year after initial training, the efficacy of ventilation skills (primary outcome) and compression skills (secondary outcome) by first responders using the PAR would be superior compared with CPR with only a face mask. METHODS: Seventy-one first responders were randomized to a group using the PAR (n=35) and a control group using only a face mask (n=36). CPR skills were assessed immediately after training and after 3, 7 and 12 months using a Skill Reporter manikin. Differences between groups over time and the interaction between time and groups were assessed using repeated measures models. Results are reported as mean values and number of participants with good ventilation or compression skills. RESULTS: Twelve months after training, there were more PAR users with adequate tidal volume than face mask users. Other ventilations skills did not differ between groups. There were more PAR users with an adequate number of compressions and with good hand position. Skill decay over 12 months did not differ between groups, except for hand position, where no decline was observed in the PAR group. CONCLUSION: Compared with the face mask, PAR improved tidal volume, compressions per minute and hand position in a manikin setting.

Patients with cardiac arrest are ventilated two times faster than guidelines recommend: an observational prehospital study using tracheal pressure measurement.

AIM: To measure ventilation rate using tracheal airway pressures in prehospitally intubated patients with and without cardiac arrest. METHODS: Prospective observational study. In 98 patients (57 with and 41 without cardiac arrest) an air-filled catheter was inserted into the endotracheal tube and connected to a custom-made portable device allowing tracheal airway pressure recording and subsequent calculation of ventilation rate. RESULTS: In manually ventilated patients with cardiac arrest 39/43 (90%) had median ventilation rates higher than 10/min (overall median 20, min 4, max 74). During mechanical ventilation, 35/38 (92%) had ventilation rates higher than 10/min. The ventilation rate in patients with cardiac arrest was higher than in patients without cardiac arrest, both for manual and mechanical ventilation. Subanalysis comparing episodes with and without compression in cardiac arrest patients showed no clinically significant difference in ventilation rate after compressions were terminated. CONCLUSION: Cardiac arrest patients were ventilated two times faster than recommended by the guidelines. Tracheal airway pressure measurement is feasible during resuscitation and may be developed further to provide real-time feedback on airway pressure and ventilation rate during resuscitation.

Carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity: a comparison of real travelled aortic path lengths determined by MRI and superficial measurements.

OBJECTIVES: Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) is the gold standard method for determination of arterial stiffness. PWV is assessed by dividing travelled distance by travel time. Standardization and validation of the methodology for travelled distance measurement is of crucial importance. The aim of the current investigation was to standardize and validate the methodology for travelled distance measurement. METHODS: Real travelled carotid-femoral path lengths were measured with MRI in 98 healthy men/women (50% men, age 21-76 years) and are used as reference distance. This reference distance was compared with 11 estimates of aortic path length from body surface distances commonly used in PWV measurement, nine of them based on tape measures and two based on body height. Determinants of the difference between reference distance and the best body surface distance were determined. Additionally, the influence of body contours was identified. RESULTS: The tape measure distance from carotid to femoral artery (CA-FA), multiplied by 0.8, yielded the best agreement with the reference aortic path length [difference 0.26 cm (SD 3.8), not statistically significant]. Thirty percent of the variation in difference between the reference distance and tape measure distance (CA-FA × 0.8) was explained by age. Adding BMI increased this number to 34%. CONCLUSION: The tape measure distance from CA-FA, multiplied by 0.8, corresponds best with the real travelled aortic path length. This distance is moderately (yet statistically significantly) influenced by age and minimally by BMI.