Pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Korea: A nationwide population-based study☆☆☆
Received 1 September 2009; received in revised form 22 November 2009; accepted 25 November 2009. published online 22 February 2010.
Abstract
Study objectives
Our objective was to describe the incidence and demographics of pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Korea.
Methods
We identified non-traumatic OHCA patients aged less than 20 years from a Korean nationwide OHCA registry (2006–2007). Data from emergency medical service (EMS) run-sheets and hospital records were reviewed. We excluded cases with unknown hospital outcomes. Patient characteristics, treatment by EMS, and outcomes were compared by age groups: infant (<1 year), children (1–11 years), and adolescents (12–19 years).
Results
A total of 971 patients including infants (n=299, 30.8%), children (n=305, 31.4%), and adolescents (n=367, 37.8%) met inclusion criteria. The incidence of pediatric OHCA was 4.2 per 100,000 person-years (67.1 in infants, 2.5 in children, and 3.5 in adolescents). The rate of cardiopulmonary resuscitation administered was 82.1% (infants 80.6%, children 82.0%, and adolescent 83.4%). The rate of applying automated external defibrillators and advanced airway management (endotracheal intubation or laryngeal mask airway), was only 4.1% and 2.5%, respectively. 7.4% showed ventricular fibrillation (VF) or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the initial ECG. Survival to hospital discharge for all pediatric OHCA was 4.9% (2.9% for infants, 4.7% for children, and 7.2% of adolescents). For EMS-treated pediatric OHCA or patients with VF or pulseless VT, the rate was 5.0% and 31.6%, respectively.
Conclusion
Incidence and hospital outcomes in pediatric OHCA in Korea were comparable to other population-based nationwide reports.
aDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
bCenter for Education and Training of EMS and Rescue, Seoul Fire Academy, Seoul, South Korea
cDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Seoguipo Medical Center, Cheju, South Korea
dDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
eDepartment of Epidemiology, Seoul National University School of Public Health, Seoul, South Korea
fSeoul Emergency Medical Information Center, Seoul, South Korea
gDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
Corresponding author at: Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehakro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul 110-744, Korea. Tel.: +82 2 2072 3257; fax: +82 2 741 7855.
ABSTRACT