Table 3

Rates of ROSC and hospital discharge among different causes of VF/VT cardiac arrest

ROSC and discharge rates

Adrenaline only (group I)

Vasopressin after adrenaline (group II)

Vasopressin initially (group III)

Myocardial infarction (n [%])

ROSC

11/32 (34%)*

12/20 (60%)

11/18 (61%)

Discharge

4/32 (12%)*

5/20 (25%)

5/18 (28%)

Primary arrhythmia (n [%])

ROSC

4/6 (66%)

3/4 (75%)

2/3 (67%)

Discharge

3/6 (50%)

2/4 (50%)

1/3 (33%)

Other causes (n [%])

ROSC

8/13 (61%)

4/7 (57%)

4/6 (67%)

Discharge

3/13 (23%)

1/7 (14%)

1/6 (17%)

*P < 0.05 versus the two other groups. ROSC, restoration of spontaneous circulation; VF, ventricular fibrillation; VT, ventricular tachycardia.

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