[Differences between hospitals in prognosis after resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients].
BACKGROUND
There are substantial differences in long-term survival of patients resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and the level of care during hospitalization may be a contributing factor. The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference in long-term prognosis between hospitals could be detected in patients surviving cardiac arrest in Copenhagen.


METHODS
The mobile emergency care unit attempted resuscitation in 1,098 patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the period 2002 to 2006, among whom return of spontaneous circulation occurred in 336 (30%) of the patients admitted to hospital. Survival was determined using the Central Population Registry through Statistics Denmark.


RESULTS
Patients admitted to a tertiary facility were younger, more frequently male, they had more commonly ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VF/pVT) as their initial rhythm, and they had more frequently received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Survival at 4.6 years was 41% in patients admitted to the tertiary hospital and 10% in patients admitted to other hospitals, p < 0.0001. After adjustment for other known risk factors, patients admitted to other hospitals had a hazard ratio of 1.8 for death (95% confidence interval: 1,4-2,5) compared with patients admitted to a tertiary facility.


CONCLUSIONS
The survival rate after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was significantly higher in patients admitted to a tertiary facility than among patients admitted to less specialized hospitals. Further studies are needed to identify causal factors.
Kjaergaard
Jesper
J
Kardiologisk Klinik B 2142, Hjertecentret, Rigshospitalet, DK-2100 København Ø. jesper.kjaergaard@rh.regionh.dk
Bro-Jeppesen
John
J
Rasmussen
Lars Simon
LS
Nielsen
Søren Loumann
SL
Folke
Fredrik
F
Lippert
Freddy
F
Wanscher
Michael C
MC
Hassager
Christian
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000552:Ambulances; D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors