• Yutaka Takei, Hideo Inaba, Takahiro Yachida, Miki Enami, Yoshikazu Goto, and Keisuke Ohta.
• Department of Emergency Medical Science, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan.
• Resuscitation. 2010 Nov 1; 81 (11): 1492-8.

ReviewThe interval between collapse and emergency call influences the prognosis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). To reduce the interval, it is essential to identify the causes of delay.MethodsBasal data were collected prospectively by fire departments from 3746 OHCAs witnessed or recognised by citizens and in which resuscitation was attempted by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2008. EMTs identified the reasons for call delay by interview.ResultsThe delay, defined as an interval exceeding 2 min (median value), was less frequent in the urban region, public places and for witnessed OHCAs. Delay was more frequent in care facilities and for elderly patients and OHCAs with longer response times. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that urban regions, care facilities and arrest witnesses are independent factors associated with delay. The ratio of correctable causes (human factors) was high at care facilities and at home, compared with other places. Calling others was a major reason for delay in all places. Performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other treatments was another major reason at care facilities. Large delay, defined as an interval exceeding 5 min (upper-quartile value), was an independent factor associated with a low 1-year survival rate.ConclusionThe incidence of correctable causes of delay is high in the community. Correction of emergency call manuals in care facilities and public relation efforts to facilitate an early emergency call may be necessary. Basic life support (BLS) education should be modified to minimise delays related to making an emergency call.Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

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