Table 1 |
|
Inclusion/exclusion criteria for the asphyxia group and the ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VF/VT) group of patients |
| VF/VT group |
| VF/VT initial rhythm |
| Age > 18 years |
| Core temperature > 30°C |
| Confirmed acute myocardial infarction and/or primary VF/VT (electrocardiogram, enzymes,
autopsy, electrophysiological investigation) |
| Excluded patients with successful defibrillation in the first cycle |
| Excluded patients with acute myocardial infarction with asystole and pulseless electrical
activity as the initial rhythm |
| Asphyxia group |
| Asystole and pulseless electrical activity as the initial rhythm |
| Excluded patients with VF/VT as the initial rhythm |
| Age > 18 years |
| Core temperature > 30°C |
| Excluded acute myocardial infarction as cause of arrest (clinical investigations and/or
autopsy) |
| Etiology: |
| solid foreign body in the airway |
| aspiration |
| edema or tumor of the upper airway |
| hanging (excluded vasculatory or others causes of arrest – clinical investigations
or autopsy) |
| Acute asthma attack (excluded cardiac causes of arrest) |
| Drowning (excluded cardiac causes of arrest) |
| Intoxications (excluded others causes of death – autopsy and/or added investigations
in hospital |
|
|
|
Grmec et al. Critical Care 2003 7:R139 doi:10.1186/cc2369 |
