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Pre-hospital critical care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests with return of spontaneous circulation: a retrospective observational study

Pre-hospital critical care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests with return of spontaneous circulation: a retrospective observational study
Pre-hospital critical care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests with return of spontaneous circulation: a retrospective observational study

Background/objectives: out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) are common, with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) achieved in approximately 25% of patients. However, it remains unknown whether post-ROSC care delivered by a pre-hospital critical care team (CCT) improves patient outcomes. We therefore aimed to investigate this in OHCA patients admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU). 

Methods: in this retrospective observational study, consecutive adults with ROSC after non-traumatic OHCA admitted to our ICU between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2022 were included. We compared patients who received post-ROSC care from a CCT to those who received standard care. The primary outcome was a good neurological outcome on hospital discharge (defined as Cerebral Performance Category 1–2). Descriptive statistics, Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC) values, and adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) are reported. We constructed multivariable logistic regression models that adjusted for the component variables of the MIRACLE2 score. 

Results: we included 126 OHCAs (median age 63 years, 69% male), which were largely witnessed (82%), involved bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (87%), and had an initial shockable rhythm (61%). The prevalence of good neurological outcomes was higher in patients who received post-ROSC care from a pre-hospital CCT (37% vs. 17%, p = 0.012). The MIRACLE2 score was a strong predictor of good neurological outcomes (AUC 0.932), and in our multivariable analysis, good neurological outcome was associated with both CCT presence post-ROSC (aOR 3.77, 95% CI 1.02–13.89) and the delivery of PHEA (aOR 4.10, 95% CI 1.10–15.27, p = 0.035). Furthermore, in patients meeting the Utstein criteria (n = 69), good neurological outcomes were also more prevalent with CCT presence post-ROSC (62% vs. 29%, p < 0.001). 

Conclusions: we found that post-ROSC care delivered by a pre-hospital CCT was associated with good neurological outcomes on hospital discharge.

cardiac arrest, critical care, HEMS, PHEA, pre-hospital, resuscitation, ROSC
2077-0383
Watson, Adam J.R.
502a836d-bf39-47cb-8240-318034005e9a
Henderson, Delphi
469ced7b-38ca-4e81-8a5e-e869b508bf85
Beecham, Ryan
4238fd35-1fd7-4534-bdd7-7a0e4c34f535
Ward, James
48c65987-4343-4b19-9464-5f1844660fc4
Owen, Peter
2835a09b-550c-42bb-a340-b75920302632
Hannah, Julian
66ca64ba-ece0-4cc8-adf1-56fd5b97f001
Plumb, James
4660fa62-49b4-4448-9b1b-a7fbe34a780b
Dushianthan, Ahilanandan
013692a2-cf26-4278-80bd-9d8fcdb17751
Watson, Adam J.R.
502a836d-bf39-47cb-8240-318034005e9a
Henderson, Delphi
469ced7b-38ca-4e81-8a5e-e869b508bf85
Beecham, Ryan
4238fd35-1fd7-4534-bdd7-7a0e4c34f535
Ward, James
48c65987-4343-4b19-9464-5f1844660fc4
Owen, Peter
2835a09b-550c-42bb-a340-b75920302632
Hannah, Julian
66ca64ba-ece0-4cc8-adf1-56fd5b97f001
Plumb, James
4660fa62-49b4-4448-9b1b-a7fbe34a780b
Dushianthan, Ahilanandan
013692a2-cf26-4278-80bd-9d8fcdb17751

Watson, Adam J.R., Henderson, Delphi, Beecham, Ryan, Ward, James, Owen, Peter, Hannah, Julian, Plumb, James and Dushianthan, Ahilanandan (2025) Pre-hospital critical care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests with return of spontaneous circulation: a retrospective observational study. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14 (3), [966]. (doi:10.3390/jcm14030966).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background/objectives: out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) are common, with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) achieved in approximately 25% of patients. However, it remains unknown whether post-ROSC care delivered by a pre-hospital critical care team (CCT) improves patient outcomes. We therefore aimed to investigate this in OHCA patients admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU). 

Methods: in this retrospective observational study, consecutive adults with ROSC after non-traumatic OHCA admitted to our ICU between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2022 were included. We compared patients who received post-ROSC care from a CCT to those who received standard care. The primary outcome was a good neurological outcome on hospital discharge (defined as Cerebral Performance Category 1–2). Descriptive statistics, Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC) values, and adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) are reported. We constructed multivariable logistic regression models that adjusted for the component variables of the MIRACLE2 score. 

Results: we included 126 OHCAs (median age 63 years, 69% male), which were largely witnessed (82%), involved bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (87%), and had an initial shockable rhythm (61%). The prevalence of good neurological outcomes was higher in patients who received post-ROSC care from a pre-hospital CCT (37% vs. 17%, p = 0.012). The MIRACLE2 score was a strong predictor of good neurological outcomes (AUC 0.932), and in our multivariable analysis, good neurological outcome was associated with both CCT presence post-ROSC (aOR 3.77, 95% CI 1.02–13.89) and the delivery of PHEA (aOR 4.10, 95% CI 1.10–15.27, p = 0.035). Furthermore, in patients meeting the Utstein criteria (n = 69), good neurological outcomes were also more prevalent with CCT presence post-ROSC (62% vs. 29%, p < 0.001). 

Conclusions: we found that post-ROSC care delivered by a pre-hospital CCT was associated with good neurological outcomes on hospital discharge.

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Accepted/In Press date: 29 January 2025
Published date: 3 February 2025
Keywords: cardiac arrest, critical care, HEMS, PHEA, pre-hospital, resuscitation, ROSC

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 499639
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/499639
ISSN: 2077-0383
PURE UUID: 7c37b902-f0dd-4a1b-b57a-b985119c9ff2
ORCID for Ahilanandan Dushianthan: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0165-3359

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Date deposited: 28 Mar 2025 17:34
Last modified: 22 Aug 2025 02:24

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Contributors

Author: Adam J.R. Watson
Author: Delphi Henderson
Author: Ryan Beecham
Author: James Ward
Author: Peter Owen
Author: Julian Hannah
Author: James Plumb
Author: Ahilanandan Dushianthan ORCID iD

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