Issues around conducting prehospital research on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: lessons from the TOPCAT study.
Outcome from OHCA is primarily determined by prehospital events and meaningful clinical OHCA research must include data recorded in this setting. There is little evidence on which to base the practice of prehospital resuscitation and research in this area presents huge challenges but is required if survival from OHCA is to improve. This short report aims to provide a practical guide to performing prehospital research on OHCA, based on lessons learned from the Temperature Post Cardiac Arrest (TOPCAT) research; an observational study into OHCA.
Emergency Department, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, UK. richardlyon@doctors.org.uk
Richard M
RM
Lyon
Gerry
G
Egan
Paul
P
Gowens
Peter
P
Andrews
Gareth
G
Clegg
D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods*; D001831:Body Temperature; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods; D003625:Data Collection; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D012606:Scotland