Resuscitation
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Frequency and timing of Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatment (WLST) after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) vary across Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the United Kingdom (UK) and may be a marker of lower healthcare quality if instituted too frequently or too early. We aimed to describe WLST practice, quantify its variability across UK ICUs, and assess the effect of institutional deviation from average practice on patients' risk-adjusted hospital mortality. ⋯ Significant variability exists between UK ICUs in WLST frequency and timing. This matters because unexplained higher-than-expected WLST frequency is associated with higher hospital mortality independently of timing, potentially signalling prognostic pessimism and lower healthcare quality.
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Rapid response teams (RRTs) are designed to improve the "chain of prevention" of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). We studied the 30-day survival of patients reviewed by RRTs within 24 hours prior to IHCA, as compared to patients not reviewed by RRTs. ⋯ IHCA preceded by RRT review is associated with a lower 30-day survival rate and a greater likelihood of a respiratory cause of cardiac arrest. In the small explorative subgroup, respiratory distress was the most common RRT trigger and delayed RRT activation was frequent. Early detection of respiratory abnormalities and timely interventions may have a potential to improve outcomes in RRT-reviewed patients and prevent further progress into IHCA.
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Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) contributes to substantial mortality, but its resuscitation status in China is unknown. We aimed to describe and analyze out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in terms of Chain of Survival. ⋯ A low probability of first aid at multiple points is linked to poor survival following OHCA. It is essential to strengthen front links in the Chain of Survival in China, including among witnesses, bystanders, and emergency response.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation-Based Approach to Refractory Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: a Focus on Organ Donation, a Secondary Analysis of a Prague OHCA Randomized Study.
Refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has a poor outcome. In patients, who cannot be rescued despite using advanced techniques like extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), organ donation may be considered. This study aims to evaluate, in refractory OHCA, how ECPR versus a standard-based approach allows organ donorship. ⋯ The ECPR-based approach in the refractory OHCA trial is associated with increased organ donorship and an excellent outcome of transplanted organs.