Title: Chest compression fraction determines survival in patients with out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation
Christenson et al (Circulation 2009;120:1241-1247, PMID 19752324) evaluated the influence of time spent performing chest compressions during cardiac arrest on survival to hospital discharge in patients with out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia. In this prospective observational cohort study of 506 patients with no defibrillation before emergency medical services arrival, the mean age was 64 years, 80% were male, 71% were witnessed by a bystander, 51% received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 34% occurred in a public location, and 23% survived. After adjustment for age, gender, location, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, bystander witness status, and response time, the odds ratios of surviving to hospital discharge in the two highest categories of chest compression fraction compared with the reference category were 3.01 and 2.33. The authors conclude that increased chest compression fraction is independently predictive of better survival in cardiac arrest patients
