Characteristics of cardiac arrest and resuscitation by age group: an analysis from the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Registry.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to describe patients who experienced an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) by age group.


METHODS
All patients who suffered from an OHCA between 1990 and 2005 and are included in the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Registry (n = 40,503) were classified into the following age groups: neonates, younger than 1 year; young children, between 1 and 4 years; older children, between 5 and 12 years; adolescents, between 13 and 17 years; young adults, between 18 and 35 years; adults not retired, between 36 and 64 years; adults retired, between 65 and 79 years; and older adults, 80 years or older.


RESULTS
Ventricular fibrillation was lowest in young children (3%) and highest in adults (35%). Survival to 1 month was lowest in neonates (2.6%) and highest in older children (7.8%). Children (<18 years), young adults (18-35 years), and adults (>35 years) survived to 1 month 24.5%, 21.2%, and 13.6% of cases, respectively (P = .0003 for trend) when found in a shockable rhythm. The corresponding figures for nonshockable rhythms were 3.8%, 3.2%, and 1.6%, respectively (P < .0001 for trend).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a large variability in characteristics and outcome among patients in various age groups who experienced an OHCA. Among the large age groups, there was a successive decline in survival with increasing age in shockable and nonshockable rhythms.
Herlitz
Johan
J
Department of Metabolism and Cardiovascular Research, Institute of Internal Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE-413 45 Göteborg, Sweden. johan.herlitz@hjl.gu.se
Svensson
Leif
L
Engdahl
Johan
J
Gelberg
Jan
J
Silfverstolpe
Johan
J
Wisten
Aase
A
Angquist
Karl-Axel
KA
Holmberg
Stig
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000552:Ambulances; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004554:Electric Countershock; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D015996:Survival Rate; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome