Mortality after in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation: multicenter analysis in Korea

The purpose of this study is to evaluate factors associated with the mortality of patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) after in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the impact of a hospital rapid response system (RRS) on patient mortality in Korea.

A prospective multicenter cohort study was done in 22 ICUs of 15 centers from July 1, 2010, to January 31, 2011. We only enrolled patients admitted to ICUs after in-hospital CPR and divided eligible patients into 2 groups-survivors and nonsurvivors.

Among 4617 patients, 150 patients were admitted post-CPR, 76 died, and 74 survived. At 24 hours, the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, and the best Glasgow Coma Scale were significantly lower in the nonsurvivors than in the survivors. In multivariate analysis, the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II and presence of lower respiratory infection were both independently associated with mortality. At the first hour after admission, lowest serum potassium and highest heart rate were associated with mortality. At 24 hours after admission, lowest mean arterial pressure, HCO3 level, and venous oxygen saturation level; highest heart rate; and use of vasoactive drugs were associated with mortality. The mortality of patients in hospitals with an RRS was not significantly different from that of hospitals without an RRS.

Various physiologic and laboratory parameters were associated with the mortality of post-CPR ICU admitted patients, and the presence of an RRS did not reduce mortality of these patients in our study.