Resuscitation
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A possible diagnostic role of procalcitonin (PCT) as a marker for ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) in patients with an already triggered acute phase response after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was investigated. In 28 patients with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after out of hospital CPR, measurements of PCT, C-reactive protein (CrP), white blood cell count (WBC) and body temperature were compared with the clinical course of the patients. ⋯ PCT was elevated a median of 2 days earlier than the clinical diagnosis of VAP. Elevations in PCT can, therefore, indicate bacterial complications in cardiac arrest patients with a non-infectious acute phase response.
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Comparative Study
Characteristics and outcome among patients suffering from in hospital cardiac arrest in relation to whether the arrest took place during office hours.
To describe the characteristics and outcome among patients suffering from in hospital cardiac arrest in relation to whether the arrest took place during office hours. ⋯ Among patients suffering from in hospital cardiac arrest and in whom CPR was attempted those who had the arrest during office hours had a survival rate being more than twice that of patients who had the arrest during other times of the day and night. These results indicate that the preparedness for optimal treatment of in hospital cardiac arrest is of ultimate importance for the final outcome and that an increased preparedness during evenings and nights might increase survival among patients suffering from in hospital cardiac arrest.