OBJECTIVES: Amongst patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, young adults represent a minority. However, these victims suffer from the catastrophe when they are in a very active phase of life and have a long life expectancy. This survey aims to describe young adults in Sweden who suffer from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is attempted in terms of characteristics and outcome. DESIGN: Prospective and descriptive design. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Young adults (18-35 years) who suffered from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in whom CPR was attempted and who were included in the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Registry between 1990 and 2004. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival to 1 month. RESULTS: In all, 1105 young adults (3.1% of all the patients in the registry) were included, of which 29% were females, 51% were nonwitnessed and 15% had a cardiac aetiology. Only 17% were found in ventricular fibrillation, 53% received bystander CPR. The overall survival to 1 month was 6.3%. High survival was found amongst patients found in ventricular fibrillation (20.8%) and those with a cardiac aetiology (14.8%). Ventricular fibrillation at the arrival of the rescue team remained an independent predictor of an increased chance of survival (odds ratio: 7.43; 95% confidence interval: 3.44-16.65). CONCLUSION: Amongst young adults suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and in whom CPR was attempted, a minority survived to 1 month. Subgroups with a higher survival could be defined (patients found in ventricular fibrillation and patients in whom there was a cardiac aetiology). However, only one independent predictor of an increased chance of survival could be demonstrated, i.e. ventricular fibrillation at the arrival of the rescue team.
OBJECTIVES: Amongst patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, young adults represent a minority. However, these victims suffer from the catastrophe when they are in a very active phase of life and have a long life expectancy. This survey aims to describe young adults in Sweden who suffer from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is attempted in terms of characteristics and outcome. DESIGN: Prospective and descriptive design. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Young adults (18-35 years) who suffered from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in whom CPR was attempted and who were included in the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Registry between 1990 and 2004. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival to 1 month. RESULTS: In all, 1105 young adults (3.1% of all the patients in the registry) were included, of which 29% were females, 51% were nonwitnessed and 15% had a cardiac aetiology. Only 17% were found in ventricular fibrillation, 53% received bystander CPR. The overall survival to 1 month was 6.3%. High survival was found amongst patients found in ventricular fibrillation (20.8%) and those with a cardiac aetiology (14.8%). Ventricular fibrillation at the arrival of the rescue team remained an independent predictor of an increased chance of survival (odds ratio: 7.43; 95% confidence interval: 3.44-16.65). CONCLUSION: Amongst young adults suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and in whom CPR was attempted, a minority survived to 1 month. Subgroups with a higher survival could be defined (patients found in ventricular fibrillation and patients in whom there was a cardiac aetiology). However, only one independent predictor of an increased chance of survival could be demonstrated, i.e. ventricular fibrillation at the arrival of the rescue team.
Authors: Jan Thorsten Gräsner; Patrick Meybohm; Amke Caliebe; Bernd W Böttiger; Jan Wnent; Martin Messelken; Tanja Jantzen; Thorsten Zeng; Bernd Strickmann; Andreas Bohn; Hans Fischer; Jens Scholz; Matthias Fischer Journal: Crit Care Date: 2011-02-14 Impact factor: 9.097