Citation

Hilmo J, Naesheim T, Gilbert M. Resuscitation 2014; 85(9): 1204-1211.

Affiliation

Clinic of Emergency Medical Services, University Hospital of North Norway, and Institute of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N-9038 Tromsø, Norway.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.resuscitation.2014.04.029

PMID

24882104

Abstract

Hypothermic cardiac arrest has high mortality and few known prognostic factors. We studied retrospectively 34 victims of accidental hypothermia with cardiac arrest admitted to The University Hospital of North Norway during 1985-2013 who were resuscitated and rewarmed by extracorporeal circulation. No patient survived prior to 1999, while nine out of 24 (37.5%) survived hypothermic cardiac arrest from 1999 to 2013. The lowest measured core temperature among survivors was 13.7°C; the longest time from cardiac arrest to return of spontaneous circulation was 6hours and 52minutes. The only predictor of survival identified, was lower blood potassium concentration in the nine survivors compared with the non-survivors. Submersion was not associated with reduced survival. Non-survivors consumed modest hospital resources. Most survivors had a favourable neurological outcome.

Keywords: Drowning; Drowning Prevention; Water Safety

Language: en