• Mariusz Wolbinski, Andrew H Swain, Scott A Harding, and Peter D Larsen.
• Cardiology Department, Wellington Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand; Wellington Cardiovascular Research Group, Wellington, New Zealand.
• Heart Lung Circ. 2016 Jul 1; 25 (7): 639-44.

BackgroundThe proportion of patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest presenting with ventricular arrhythmias/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) is decreasing, while the proportion presenting with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) is increasing. Cardiac arrest interventions target VT/VF and survival rates from PEA are much lower. The aim of this study was to compare clinical characteristics of those suffering PEA and VT/VF.MethodsWe examined the past medical history of all patients suffering cardiac arrest in the Wellington region between 2008-2012 and compared clinical features of those with PEA to VT/VF.ResultsWe identified 749 cardiac arrests in the study period, and were able to obtain detailed medical histories in 735 (98%) cases. The presenting rhythm was VF/VT in 337 (46%) cases, PEA in 127 (17%), and asystole in 271 (37%). Patients with PEA were older (68±14 versus 63±15 years, p=0.003), a higher proportion were female (35% versus 22%, p=0.002) and were less likely to have prior cardiovascular disease than those with VT/VF (48% versus 59%, p=0.03). Respiratory disease was more common in those with PEA (35% versus 23%, p=0.008).ConclusionThe population suffering PEA differs from the VT/VF cohort in a number of ways, and PEA is associated with significantly worse outcomes.Copyright © 2016 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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