Purpose of review: To present advancements in pediatric cardiac arrest research, highlighting articles most relevant to clinical practice published since the latest international guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Recent findings: Clinical trials examining targeted temperature management in children support avoidance of hyperthermia for both pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest (PIHCA) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (POHCA), but no statistically significant outcome differences were confirmed comparing 33 and 36 °C in the limited populations studied. Retrospective analyses of population-based POHCA registries revealed several associations: both bystander CPR and public-access defibrillation were associated with improved POHCA outcomes; conflicting results overshadow the benefits of conventional versus compression-only CPR; extracorporeal CPR was associated with improved PIHCA outcomes regardless of cause; intubation in PIHCA was associated with decreased survival, whereas there were no significant differences in outcomes between advanced airway management and bag-valve-mask ventilation in POHCA; and early epinephrine delivery in nonshockable rhythms during PIHCA was associated with improved outcomes. Length, age, and weight-based dosing systems can reduce time to medication delivery, quantitative errors, and anxiety among care providers.
Summary: Mounting evidence continues to align management priorities for resuscitation of children and adults.