Table 2

Characteristics and survival outcomes in three treatment groups of patients with VF/VT cardiac arrest

Characteristics/survival outcomes

Treatment group

Adrenaline only (group I)

Vasopressin after adrenaline (group II)

Vasopressin initially (group III)

Sex (male/female; n)^a

29/22

17/14

15/12

Age^b

61.3 ± 15.3

59.2 ± 13.3

60.3 ± 17.3

Time to initiation of CPR (min)^b

6.3 ± 3.5

7.2 ± 3.2

6.3 ± 2.9

Average dose of adrenaline (mg)^b

6.3 ± 3.5*

4.5 ± 2.1

3.1 ± 1.6

Amiodarone (n [%])^a

9/51 (18%)*

21/31 (68%)

17/27 (63%)

Lidocaine (n [%])^a

24/51 (47%)*

5/31 (16%)

1/27 (4%)

Bicarbonate (n [%])^a

23/51 (45%)

8/31 (26%)

6/27 (22%)

Atropine (n [%])^a

10/51 (20%)

4/31 (13%)

3/27 (11%)

ROSC with hospitalization (n [%])^a

23/51 (45%)*

19/31 (61%)

17/27 (63%)

24 hour survival (n [%])^a

15/51 (29%)*

15/31 (48%)

14/27 (51%)

Hospital discharge (n [%])^a

10/51 (20%)

8/31 (26%)

7/27 (26%)

Resuscitation by medical team (min)^b

28.1 ± 11.8*

18.8 ± 9.3

17.4 ± 8.4

Witnessed arrest (n [%])^a

32/51 (62%)

17/31 (55%)

16/27 (59%)

Cause of arrest (AMI/primary arrhythmia/other; n)^a

32/6/13

20/4/7

18/3/6

^aBy Fisher exact test; ^bby Wilcoxon rank-sum test. *P < 0.05 versus the other two groups. AMI, acute myocardial infarction; CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation; ROSC, restoration of spontaneous circulation; VF, ventricular fibrillation; VT, ventricular tachycardia.

Grmec and Mally Critical Care 2006 10:R13   doi:10.1186/cc3967