Background: The outcome of children with traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is poor, and the information regarding survival in the postresuscitative period is limited. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical features during the early postresuscitative period that may predict survival or neurologic outcomes in children with traumatic OHCA.
Methods: Information on 362 children (<19 years) who presented to the emergency departments of three medical centers and experienced traumatic OHCA during the study period (January 2003 to December 2010) were retrospectively included. The postresuscitative clinical features during the early postresuscitative period, defined as the first hour after achieving sustained return of spontaneous circulation, which correlated with survival and neurologic outcomes were analyzed.
Results: Among 152 children (42%) who achieved sustained return of spontaneous circulation, 34 (9.4%) survived to discharge, and 11 (3%) had good neurologic outcomes (Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Scale, 1 or 2). Early postresuscitative clinical features, which reflected initial cardiac output and end-organ perfusion, can predict the chance of survival. Such features included the following: high or normal blood pressure, normal heart rate, sinus rhythm, urine output of more than 1 mL/kg per hour, and noncyanotic skin color (all p < 0.05). Initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of greater than 7 predicted a good neurologic outcome in survivors (p = 0.008).
Conclusion: Predictors of survival were high or normal blood pressure, normal heart rate, sinus rhythm, urine output of more than 1 mL/kg per hour, and noncyanotic skin color. Most importantly, initial GCS score of greater than 7 predicted a good neurologic outcome in survivors.
Level of evidence: Prognostic study, level III.