Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in children: An epidemiological study based on the German Resuscitation Registry identifying modifiable factors for return of spontaneous circulation

Abstract

Abstract Aim This work provides an epidemiological overview of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in children in Germany between 2007 and 2021. We wanted to identify modifiable factors associated with survival. Methods Data from the German Resuscitation Registry (GRR) was used, and we included patients registered between 1st January 2007 and 31st December 2021. We included children aged > 7 days and < 18 years, where cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was started and treatment was continued by emergency medical services (EMS). Incidences and descriptive analyses are presented for the overall cohort and each age group. Multivariate binary logistic regression was performed on the whole cohort to determine the influence of (1) CPR with/without ventilation started by bystander, (2) OHCA witnessed status, and (3) nighttime on the outcome hospital admission with ROSC. Results OHCA in children aged < 1 year had the highest incidence per 100 000 inhabitants, with 23.42, accounting for 42.0% of all included cases. Overall, hypoxia was the leading presumed cause of OHCA; whereas trauma and drowning accounted for a high proportion in children aged > 1 year. Bystander-witnessed OHCA and bystander CPR rate were highest in children aged 1–4 years, with 43.9% and 62.3%, respectively. In reference to EMS-started CPR, bystander CPR with ventilation were associated with an increased odds ratio for ROSC at hospital admission after adjusting for age, sex, year of OHCA and location of OHCA. Conclusion This study provides an epidemiological overview of OHCA in children in Germany and identifies bystander CPR with ventilation as one primary factor for survival. Trial registrations German Clinical Trial Register: DRKS00030989, December 28th 2022.