Cardiac arrest & resuscitation

Changes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation quality during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

ResuscitationPublished Retrospective cohort study

Authors' conclusion

Several CPR quality metrics declined during the COVID-19 period and some remain below pre-pandemic levels.

Study context

Population
Adult OHCA patients of medical aetiology who received attempted resuscitation, Victoria, Australia
Participants
8,956 patients
Exposure
COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 periods vs pre-COVID-19 period
  • Pre-COVID-19n = 2,389reference
  • COVID-19n = 4,935
  • Post-COVID-19n = 1,632
Outcome
CPR quality metrics and time to resuscitation interventions
Methodological detailsmultivariable quantile and logistic regression
  • Multivariable quantile and logistic regression

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

CPR quality metrics and resuscitation interventions, COVID-19 vs pre-COVID-19
COVID-19 vs Pre-COVID-19MD, percentage points (95% CI)
Chest compression fraction
−0.81(−1.07,−0.56)
COVID-19 vs Pre-COVID-19MD, mm per second (95% CI)
Release velocity
−5.26(−9.79 to −0.72)
COVID-19 vs Pre-COVID-19MD, min (95% CI)
Resuscitation duration
−2.2(−3.39 to −1.05)
COVID-19 vs Pre-COVID-19MD, s (95% CI)
Post-shock pauses
0.22(0.05–0.38)
COVID-19 vs Pre-COVID-19Adjusted odds ratio (95% CI)
Adrenaline within 5 mins
0.72(0.63–0.82)
Laryngeal mask insertion within 10 mins of arrival
0.83(0.74–0.94)

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

CPR quality metrics and interventions, post-COVID-19 vs pre-COVID-19

All remained significantly different from baseline except resuscitation duration and time to laryngeal mask insertion

Original publication

Changes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation quality during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Resuscitation. Published 22 October 2024. doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2024.110419

Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →

Get them every week

New studies on this topic in My Week and in your Monday e-mail.

We e-mail you a sign-in link and a code. No password, no spam.