title: Survey of the use of therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest in UK paediatric emergency departments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain current use of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) after paediatric cardiac arrest in UK emergency departments (EDs), and views on participating in a UK randomised controlled trial (RCT) incorporating early induction of TH in ED.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anonymous web-based survey of 77 UK Emergency Medicine (EM) consultants from 28 UK EDs that see children during the period April-June 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  62% (48/77) of surveyed consultants responded from 21/28 (75%) EDs. All managed children post cardiac arrest. 90% (43/48) were aware of the literature concerning TH after cardiac arrest in adults. However, 63% (30/48) had never used TH in paediatric practice. All departments had at least one method of inducing TH (surface cooling; air/water blankets; intravenous cold fluid or catheters). Reasons stated for not inducing TH included no equipment available (26%; 11/42), TH not advocated by the local PICU (24%; 10/42) and not enough evidence for its use (24%; 10/42). TH was considered based on advice from the local Paediatric Intensive Care Units (68%; 17/25) or likelihood of recovery after arrest (32%; 8/25). There was strong support for a UK RCT of TH versus normothermia (85%; 40/47). The proposed RCT was felt to be ethical (87%; 40/48) with use of deferred consent acceptable (74%; 34/46).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UK EM consultants are aware of TH but infrequently initiate the therapy in children for a number of reasons. Their involvement would enable early induction of TH in EDs after paediatric cardiac arrest during a UK RCT. The authors have demonstrated the availability of suitable equipment and EM consultant support for participation in such a RCT.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Birmingham Children's Hospital, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham B4 6NH, UK. barnaby.scholefield@bch.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Barnaby R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Scholefield
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lyttle
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Heather P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: Kevin P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003253:Consultants / Q000523:psychology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom