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Summary: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a serious public health problem worldwide. The annual incidence is estimated at around 400 000 cases in Europe and the United States, and survival rates scarcely reach 10%. However, there is considerable variation between countries and even between regions that share a similar health care system within a single country. Information recorded by the Out-of-Hospital Spanish Cardiac Arrest Registry (OHSCAR) provides information on care provided by emergency ambulance services, final health outcomes after cardiac arrest cases (including variations), the possibility of organ donation, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper presents the OHSCAR report for Spanish emergency services for the year 2022.

Aim: Prior studies have reported increased out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) incidence and lower survival during the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated how the COVID-19 pandemic affected OHCA incidence, bystander CPR rate and patients' outcomes, accounting for regional COVID-19 incidence and OHCA characteristics., Methods: Individual patient data meta-analysis of studies which provided a comparison of OHCA incidence during the first pandemic wave (COVID-period) with a reference period of the previous year(s) (pre-COVID period). We computed COVID-19 incidence per 100,000 inhabitants in each of 97 regions per each week and divided it into its quartiles., Results: We considered a total of 49,882 patients in 10 studies. OHCA incidence increased significantly compared to previous years in regions where weekly COVID-19 incidence was in the fourth quartile (>136/100,000/week), and patients in these regions had a lower odds of bystander CPR (OR 0.49, 95%CI 0.29-0.81, p = 0.005). Overall, the COVID-period was associated with an increase in medical etiology (89.2% vs 87.5%, p < 0.001) and OHCAs at home (74.7% vs 67.4%, p < 0.001), and a decrease in shockable initial rhythm (16.5% vs 20.3%, p < 0.001). The COVID-period was independently associated with pre-hospital death (OR 1.73, 95%CI 1.55-1.93, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with survival to hospital admission (OR 0.68, 95%CI 0.64-0.72, p < 0.001) and survival to discharge (OR 0.50, 95%CI 0.46-0.54, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: During the first COVID-19 pandemic wave, there was higher OHCA incidence and lower bystander CPR rate in regions with a high-burden of COVID-19. COVID-19 was also associated with a change in patient characteristics and lower survival independently of COVID-19 incidence in the region where OHCA occurred., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To examine gender-related differences in the management and survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Spain during 2 time series., Material and Methods: Analysis of data recorded in the prospective Spanish OHCA registry (OHSCAR in its Spanish acronym) for 2 time series (2013-2014 and 2017-2018). We included all 11 036 consecutive cases in which an emergency team intervened. The dependent variables were arrival at the hospital after return of spontaneous circulation, overall survival to discharge, and overall survival with good neurological outcomes. Sex was the independent variable. We report descriptive statistics, patient group comparisons, and changes over time., Results: Women were significantly older and less likely to experience an OHCA in a public place, receive automatic external defibrillation, have a shockable heart rhythm, and be attended by an ambulance team within 15 minutes. In addition, fewer women underwent percutaneous coronary interventions or received treatment for hypothermia on admission to the hospital. In 2013-2014 and 2017-2018, respectively, the likelihood of survival was lower for women than men on admission (odds ratio [OR], 0.52 vs OR, 0.61; P .001 and P = .009 in the 2 time series) and at discharge (OR, 0.69 vs 0.72 for men; P = .001 in both time series). Survival with good neurological outcomes was also less likely in women (OR, 0.50 vs 0.63; P .001 in both series)., Conclusion: The odds for survival and survival with good neurological outcomes were lower for women in nearly all patient groups in both time series. These findings suggest the need to adopt new approaches to address gender differences in OHCA.

In this section of the European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021, key information on the epidemiology and outcome of in and out of hospital cardiac arrest are presented. Key contributions from the European Registry of Cardiac Arrest (EuReCa) collaboration are highlighted. Recommendations are presented to enable health systems to develop registries as a platform for quality improvement and to inform health system planning and responses to cardiac arrest., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: The incidence and outcomes of care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) vary greatly from country to country. We aimed to study variation in the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of care for OHCAs given by Spanish prehospital emergency services., Material and Methods: Descriptive retrospective analysis of data from the Out-of-Hospital Spanish Cardiac Arrest Registry (OHSCAR) from October 2013 to October 2014. Attempts by 19 Spanish emergency services to resuscitate patients were studied. All OHCA cases were reviewed to obtain the following data: incidence, patient and event characteristics, prior emergencies, resuscitation attempts, and the main treatments provided in the hospital. If a patient was admitted, we compared the neurologic status on hospital discharge., Results: Statistically significant differences were detected between emergency services (P .0001) in the incidence of attempted resuscitation and all general characteristics except sex. Hospital treatments and outcomes also differed significantly: pulse had been restored on arrival of 30.5% of patients (range 21.3% to 56.1%, P .001), and 31.8% of admitted patients were discharged in cerebral performance categories 1 or 2 (range 17.2% to 58.3%, P .001)., Conclusion: Differences in the incidence of resuscitation attempts, key variables, and survival at discharge from the hospital are present in OHCA cases attended by prehospital emergency services in different regions of Spain.

Aims: The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on attendance to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has only been described in city or regional settings. The impact of COVID-19 across an entire country with a high infection rate is yet to be explored., Methods: The study uses data from 8629 cases recorded in two time-series (2017/2018 and 2020) of the Spanish national registry. Data from a non-COVID-19 period and the COVID-19 period (February 1st-April 30th 2020) were compared. During the COVID-19 period, data a further analysis comparing non-pandemic and pandemic weeks (defined according to the WHO declaration on March 11th, 2020) was conducted. The chi-squared analysis examined differences in OHCA attendance and other patient and resuscitation characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression examined survival likelihood to hospital admission and discharge. The multilevel analysis examined the differential effects of regional COVID-19 incidence on these same outcomes., Results: During the COVID-19 period, the incidence of resuscitation attempts declined and survival to hospital admission (OR = 1.72; 95%CI = 1.46-2.04; p < 0.001) and discharge (OR = 1.38; 95%CI = 1.07-1.78; p = 0.013) fell compared to the non-COVID period. This pattern was also observed when comparing non-pandemic weeks and pandemic weeks. COVID-19 incidence impinged significantly upon outcomes regardless of regional variation, with low, medium, and high incidence regions equally affected., Conclusions: The pandemic, irrespective of its incidence, seems to have particularly impeded the pre-hospital phase of OHCA care. Present findings call for the need to adapt out-of-hospital care for periods of serious infection risk., Study Registration Number: ISRCTN10437835., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and objectives: When the drowning timeline evolves and drowning occurs, the lifeguard tries to mitigate the event by applying the last link of the drowning survival chain with the aim of treating hypoxia. Quality CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and the training of lifeguards are the fundamental axes of drowning survival. Mobile applications and other feedback methods have emerged as strong methods for the learning and training of basic CPR in the last years so, in this study, a randomised clinical trial has been carried out to compare the traditional method as the use of apps or manikins with a feedback system as a method of training to improve the quality of resuscitation. Materials and Methods: The traditional training (TT), mobile phone applications (AP) and feedback manikins (FT) are compared. The three cohorts were subsequently evaluated through a manikin providing feedback, and a data report on the quality of the manoeuvres was obtained. Results: Significant differences were found between the traditional manikin and the manikin with real-time feedback regarding the percentage of compressions with correct depth (30.8% (30.4) vs. 68.2% (32.6); p = 0.042). Hand positioning, percentage correct chest recoil and quality of compressions exceeded 70% of correct performance in all groups with better percentages in the FT (TT vs. FT; p < 0.05). Conclusions: As a conclusion, feedback manikins are better learning tools than traditional models and apps as regards training chest compression. Ventilation values are low in all groups, but improve with the feedback manikin.

Background: Variation in the incidence, survival rate and factors associated with survival after cardiac arrest in Europe is reported. Some studies have tried to fill the knowledge gap regarding the epidemiology of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Europe but were unable to identify reasons for the reported differences. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe European Emergency Medical Systems, particularly from the perspective of country and ambulance service characteristics, cardiac arrest identification, dispatch, treatment, and monitoring., Methods: An online questionnaire with 51 questions about ambulance and dispatch characteristics, on-scene management of cardiac arrest and the availability and dataset in cardiac arrest registries, was sent to all national coordinators who participated in the European Registry of Cardiac Arrest studies. In addition, individual invitations were sent to the remaining European countries., Results: Participants from 28 European countries responded to the questionnaire. Results were combined with official information on population density. Overall, the number of Emergency Medical Service missions, level of training of personnel, availability of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services and the involvement of first responders varied across and within countries. There were similarities in team training, availability of key resuscitation equipment and permission for ongoing performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation during transported. The quality of reporting to cardiac arrest registries varied, as well as the data availability in the registries., Conclusions: Throughout Europe there are important differences in Emergency Medical Service systems and the response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Explaining these differences is complicated due to significant variation in how variables are reported to and used in registries.

Objectives: To assess first-year secondary-school students' knowledge and performance of basic life support (BLS) 6 months after training given by their regular teachers during school hours., Material and Methods: Sixty-two teachers were trained in BLS instruction. They then instructed 1043 students. The students' knowledge increased significantly from mean (SD) scores of 4.42 (1.64) to 7.28 (1.85) (P < .001) and was maintained at 6 months (mean score, 5.15 [3.16]; P <.001). Performance skills were also maintained at 6 months, although the students had greater difficulty attaining ventilation targets., Results: Sixty-two teachers were trained in BLS instruction. They then instructed 1043 students. The students' knowledge increased significantly from mean (SD) scores of 4.42 (1.64) to 7.28 (1.85) (P < .001) and was maintained at 6 months (mean score, 5.15 [3.16]; P < .001). Performance skills were also maintained at 6 months, although the students had greater difficulty attaining ventilation targets., Conclusion: Teachers' training of their own first-year secondary students during regular school hours led to changes in the students' attitudes toward the possibility of cardiac arrest and to the learning of BLS techniques.

Objectives: To assess factors associated with survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in patients who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during ambulance transport., Material and Methods: Retrospective analysis of a registry of OHCA cases treated between 2008 and 2014. We included patients who had not recovered circulation at the time it was decided to transport to a hospital and who were rejected as non-heart-beating donors. Multivariate analysis was used to explore factors associated with the use of ambulance CPR, survival, and neurologic outcome., Results: Out of a total of 7241 cases, 259 (3.6%) were given CPR during emergency transport. The mean (SD) age was 51.6 (23.6) years; 27 (10.1%) were aged 16 years or younger. The following variables were associated with the use of CPR during transport: age 16 years or under (odds ratio [OR], 6.48; 95% CI, 3.91-10.76); P<.001)], witnessed OHCA (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.16-2.26; P=.004), cardiac arrest outside the home (OR, 3.17; 95% CI, 2.38-4.21; P<.001), noncardiac cause (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.07-2.02; P=.019], initially shockable rhythm (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.17-2.37; P=.004), no prior basic life support (OR, 3.48; 95% CI, 2.58-4.70; P<.001), and orotracheal intubation (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.24-2.99; P=.003). One patient (0.38%) survived to discharge with good neurologic outcome., Conclusion: Ambulance CPR by a physician on board is applied in few OHCA cases. Young patient age, cardiac arrest outside the home, the presence of a witness, lack of a shockable rhythm on responder arrival, lack of basic life support prior to responder arrival, noncardiac cause, and orotracheal intubation are associated with the use of ambulance CPR, a strategy that can be considered futile.

Objective: To determine the number of potential deceased organ donors from out-of- hospital cardiac arrest cases (OHCA) attended by public physician-led emergency medical services in Spain, based on data recorded in the nationwide Spanish OHCA Registry (OHSCAR)., Material and Methods: We analysed OHSCAR data on deceased OHCA patients in Spain during 13 months (1/10/2013 to 31/10/2014). Variables included age, sex, estimated OHCA time, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) start time and outcome. Inclusion criteria were: age 16-60 years, witnessed OHCA, no return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and time interval <15min between OHCA occurrence and CPR initiation., Results: Of a total 8789 cases, 3290 met the age criteria; of these, CPR was not witnessed in 745 cases. Among the remaining 2545 patients, 141 were included in uncontrolled donation after cardiac death (uDCD) programs, 902 arrived at the hospital with ROSC, 64 arrived with ongoing CPR and 15 cases were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 1423 without ROSC, CPR initiation time was not recorded in 454 cases and 398 did not meet the time criteria <15min between OHCA and CPR initiation. Finally, 571 met all the criteria and could have been potential donors. There were significant differences in the actual donors percentage from potential donors percentage between provinces with and without donor programs (141/322=43.8% versus 0/390=0%), but there were no differences in ROSC between the two types of provinces (418/1320=31.7% versus 652/1970=33.4%)., Conclusions: Many potential donors are missed in current clinical practice. uDCD programs are few and underused even in a country with high rates of organ transplantation., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Most survival outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) are provided by emergency medical services (EMS) without a doctor on board. Our objective was to determine such outcomes in a whole country with public physician-led EMS., Methods: We analyzed data from a nationwide prospective registry of OHCA cases attended by 19 public EMS in Spain, covering the period from 1-October 2013 to 30-October 2014., Results: Advanced life support (ALS) was initiated in 9347 cases (incidence 18.6 cases/10 5 inhabitants per year). Resuscitation was considered futile in 558 cases (5.9%), and ALS was continued in 8789 cases (94.1%); mean age 63.5±17 years, 72.1% men. Initial rhythm was shockable in 22.1% of cases. Basic life support (BLS) was provided by bystanders in 1602 (24%) cases (635 of them with telephone assistance from the dispatch center). Of 8789 patients receiving ALS, 72.1% men, 2669 (30.4%) patients had return of spontaneous circulation on hospital arrival, 50.6% when the initial rhythm was shockable. Hospital discharge with good neurological status (CPC 1-2 ) was found in 11.1% of the study population and in 27.6% when considering the Utstein comparator group of patients. A total of 216 (2.5%) patients arrived at the hospital with ongoing resuscitation, of whom only one survived with CPC 1-2 , and 165 (1.9%) patients were included in non-heart-beating donation programs., Conclusions: In Spain with physician-led EMS, OHCA survival with CPC 1-2 reached a reasonable percentage despite only a modest contribution of bystander BLS. Ongoing resuscitation strategy seems to be futile except when considering non-heart beating donation programs., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: There is substantial variation in the incidence, likelihood of attempted resuscitation and outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) across Europe. A European, multi-centre study provides the opportunity to uncover differences throughout Europe and may help find explanations for these differences. Results may also have potential to support the development of quality benchmarking between European Emergency Medical Services (EMS)., Methods/design: This prospective European study involves 27 different countries. It provides a common Utstein-based dataset, data collection tool and a common data collection period for all participants. Study research questions will address the following: OHCA incidence in different European regions; incidence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); initial presenting rhythm in patients where bystanders or EMS start CPR or any other resuscitation intervention; proportion of patients with any return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC); patient status at the end of pre-hospital treatment i.e. ROSC at handover to hospital, ongoing CPR, dead; proportion of patients still alive 30 days after OHCA; proportion of patients discharged alive from hospital. All patients who suffered an OHCA during October 2014 and were attended and/or treated by an EMS and documented in one of the participating registries will be included in the study. Each National Coordinator is responsible for data collection and quality control in his/her country and will transfer unprocessed anonymised data via secure electronic transfer. Descriptive analysis will be performed at European, national and registry level. For endpoints like ROSC, admission or survival, multivariate logistic regression analysis will be performed., Discussion: Documenting differences in epidemiology, treatment and outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest throughout Europe is a first step in finding explanations for these differences. Study results might also support the development of quality benchmarking between Emergency Medical Services (EMS) which in turn will facilitate initiatives to improve OHCA outcome in Europe., Trial Registration: The EuReCa ONE Study is registered by ClinicalTrials.gov National Coordinator T02236819 ).