title: Epidemiology of traumatic cardiac arrest in patients presenting to emergency department at a level 1 trauma center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a paucity of literature on prehospital care and epidemiology of traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) in India. This study highlights the profile and characteristics of TCA.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was conducted to study epidemiological profile of TCA patients ≥1 year presenting to a level 1 trauma center of India.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand sixty-one patients were recruited in the study. The median age (interquartile range) was 32 (23-45) years (male:female ratio of 5.9:1). Asystole (253), pulseless electrical activity (11), ventricular fibrillation (six), and ventricular tachycardia (five) were initial arrest rhythm. Road traffic crash (RTC) (57.16%), fall from height (18.52%), and assault (10.51%) were modes of injury. Prehospital care was provided by police (36.59%), ambulance (10.54%), relatives (45.40%), and bystanders (7.47% cases). Return of spontaneous circulation was seen in 69 patients, of which only three survived to hospital discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RTC in young males was a major cause of TCA. Asystole was the most common arrest rhythm. Police personnel were major prehospital service provider. Prehospital care needs improvement including the development of robust TCA registry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhoi
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Prakash Ranjan
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Kapil Dev
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Soni
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Upendra
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Baitha
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Tej Prakash
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Sinha
keywords: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation; emergency department; road traffic crash; traumatic cardiac arrest