title: Early increase in blood glucose in patients resuscitated from out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation predicts poor outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the trend of blood glucose immediately after successful resuscitation from out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from cardiac arrest registry supplemented with blood glucose data were analyzed in this population-based observational study. Between 2005 and 2009, a total of 170 adult patients survived to hospital admission after resuscitation from bystander-witnessed cardiac arrest of cardiac origin and ventricular fibrillation as an initial rhythm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sufficient data for analysis were available in 134 (79%) patients, of whom 87 (65% [95% CI 57-73]) survived to hospital discharge in Cerebral Performance Category 1 or 2. Blood glucose did not change significantly between prehospital (10.5 ± 4.1 mmol/L) and admission (10.0 ± 3.7 mmol/L) in survivors (P = 0.3483), whereas in nonsurvivors, blood glucose increased from 11.8 ± 4.6 to 13.8 ± 3.3 mmol/L (P = 0.0025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients who are resuscitated from out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation, but whose outcome is unfavorable are characterized by significant increase of blood glucose in the ultraacute postresuscitation phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Helsinki Emergency Medical Services, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. jouni.nurmi@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Jouni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nurmi
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: Niko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anttalainen
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Westerbacka
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuisma
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose