title: Systematic downloading and analysis of data from automated external defibrillators used in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Valuable information can be retrieved from automated external defibrillators (AEDs) used in victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We describe our experience with systematic downloading of data from deployed AEDs. The primary aim was to compare the proportion of shockable rhythm from AEDs used by laypersons with the corresponding proportion recorded by the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) on arrival.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a 20-month study, we collected data on OHCAs in the Capital Region of Denmark where an AED was deployed prior to arrival of EMS. The AEDs were brought to the emergency medical dispatch centre for data downloading and rhythm analysis. Patient data were retrieved from the medical records from the admitting hospital, whereas data on EMS rhythm analyses were obtained from the Danish Cardiac Arrest Register between 2001 and 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 121 AEDs were deployed, of which 91 cases were OHCAs with presumed cardiac origin. The prevalence of initial shockable rhythm was 55.0% (95% CI [44.7-64.8%]). This was significantly greater than the proportion recorded by the EMS (27.6%, 95% CI [27.0-28.3%], p<0.0001). Shockable arrests were significantly more likely to be witnessed (92% vs. 34%, p<0.0001) and the bystander CPR rate was higher (98% vs. 85%, p=0.04). More patients with initial shockable rhythm achieved return of spontaneous circulation upon hospital arrival (88% vs. 7%, p<0.0001) and had higher 30-day survival rate (72% vs. 5%, p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AEDs used by laypersons revealed a higher proportion of shockable rhythms compared to the EMS rhythm analyses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Centre of Head and Orthopaedics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: marcobhansen@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marco Bo
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medical Services, Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Freddy Knudsen
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Lippert
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Centre of Head and Orthopaedics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lars Simon
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Centre of Head and Orthopaedics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Emergency Medical Services, Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne Møller
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods*; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D047548:Defibrillators / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001330:Electronic Data Processing / Q000379:methods*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Basic life support; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Defibrillation; Defibrillator; Public-access defibrillation; Survival