No small matter: pediatric resuscitation.

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

To present advancements in pediatric cardiac arrest research, highlighting articles most relevant to clinical practice published since the latest international guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

RECENT FINDINGS:

Clinical trials examining targeted temperature management in children support avoidance of hyperthermia for both pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest (PIHCA) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (POHCA), but no statistically significant outcome differences were confirmed comparing 33 and 36 °C in the limited populations studied. Retrospective analyses of population-based POHCA registries revealed several associations: both bystander CPR and public-access defibrillation were associated with improved POHCA outcomes; conflicting results overshadow the benefits of conventional versus compression-only CPR; extracorporeal CPR was associated with improved PIHCA outcomes regardless of cause; intubation in PIHCA was associated with decreased survival, whereas there were no significant differences in outcomes between advanced airway management and bag-valve-mask ventilation in POHCA; and early epinephrine delivery in nonshockable rhythms during PIHCA was associated with improved outcomes. Length, age, and weight-based dosing systems can reduce time to medication delivery, quantitative errors, and anxiety among care providers.

SUMMARY:

Mounting evidence continues to align management priorities for resuscitation of children and adults.

• Authors: Taylor McCormick, Kevin McVaney, Paul E Pepe
• Journal: Current opinion in critical care (Curr Opin Crit Care) Vol. 23 Issue 3 Pg. 193-198 (Jun 2017) ISSN: 1531-7072 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 28402986 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Topics

• Airway Management
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (instrumentation)
• Child
• Electric Countershock
• Emergency Medical Services (methods)
• Humans
• Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (therapy)