title: Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest Patient Characteristics: Comparing ventricular arrhythmia and Pulseless Electrical Activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The proportion of patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest presenting with ventricular arrhythmias/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) is decreasing, while the proportion presenting with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) is increasing. Cardiac arrest interventions target VT/VF and survival rates from PEA are much lower. The aim of this study was to compare clinical characteristics of those suffering PEA and VT/VF.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the past medical history of all patients suffering cardiac arrest in the Wellington region between 2008-2012 and compared clinical features of those with PEA to VT/VF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 749 cardiac arrests in the study period, and were able to obtain detailed medical histories in 735 (98%) cases. The presenting rhythm was VF/VT in 337 (46%) cases, PEA in 127 (17%), and asystole in 271 (37%). Patients with PEA were older (68±14 versus 63±15 years, p=0.003), a higher proportion were female (35% versus 22%, p=0.002) and were less likely to have prior cardiovascular disease than those with VT/VF (48% versus 59%, p=0.03). Respiratory disease was more common in those with PEA (35% versus 23%, p=0.008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The population suffering PEA differs from the VT/VF cohort in a number of ways, and PEA is associated with significantly worse outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Wellington Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand; Wellington Cardiovascular Research Group, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolbinski
authors.affiliation: University of Otago Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Swain
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Wellington Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand; Wellington Cardiovascular Research Group, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.affiliation: Wellington Cardiovascular Research Group, Wellington, New Zealand; University of Otago Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand. Electronic address: peter.larsen@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: Cardiac arrest; Pulseless Electrical Activity; Ventricular fibrillation