Table 1

Episode and time characteristics vs. outcome

All episodes*

n = 221

Dead on scene

n = 132

ROSC

n = 57

Survived the episode*

n = 32

Episode characteristics

Location of arrest

ICU/CCU

27 (12%)

16

8

3 (11%, 4 to 28%)

Other (mainly wards)

160 (72%)

102

40

18 (11%, 7 to 17%)

Emergency department

34 (15%)

14

9

11 (32%, 19 to 49%)

Witnessed

163 (74%)

94

43

26 (16%, 11 to 22%)

CPR quality

2 – Good

123 (56%)

74

35

14 (11%, 7 to 18%)

1 – Intermediate

63 (28%)

41

13

9 (14%, 8 to 25%)

0 – None

35 (16%)

17

9

9 (26%, 14 to 42%)

Presenting rhythm

VF/VT

90 (41%)

29

31

30 (33%, 24 to 44%)

Asystole

66 (30%)

49

16

1 (2%, 0 to 8 %)

PEA

65 (29%)

54

10

1 (2%, 0 to 8 %)

Time characteristics

Collapse-to-defibrillation, VF/VT

Median with

IQR (minutes)

4.0

(1.25, 6.75)

6.0

(3.5, 8)

4.0

(2.0, 6.0)

2.0

(1.0, 4.0)

Collapse-to-BLS, VF/VT

Median with

IQR (minutes)

1.0

(0.0, 2.0)

1.0

(0.0, 2.0)

1.0

(0.0, 1.0)

1.0

(0.0, 2.0)

Collapse-to-BLS, PEA/ASY

Median with

IQR (minutes)

1.0

(0.0, 2.0)

1.0

(0.0, 2.0)

1.0

(0.0, 4.0)

0.5

(0.25, 0.75)

*The number of episodes (n = 221) is higher than the number of patients (n = 217), as two patients arrested more than once (see text). ** Numbers in parenthesis are percentages with 95% confidence intervals

Skogvoll and Nordseth Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine 2008 16:11   doi:10.1186/1757-7241-16-11