A Nationwide Retrospective Analysis of Out-of-Hospital Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Treated by Helicopter Emergency Medical Service in the Netherlands

OBJECTIVE: There is generally limited but conflicting literature on the incidence, causes, and outcomes of pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This study was performed to determine the incidence and outcome of pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest reported by all helicopter emergency medical services in the Netherlands and to provide a description of causes and treatments and, in particular, a description of the specific interventions that can be performed by a physician-staffed helicopter emergency medical service.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of all documented pediatric (0 < 18 years of age) out-of-hospital cardiac arrests from July 2015 to July 2017, attended by all 4 Dutch helicopter emergency medical service teams.

RESULTS: Two hundred two out-of-hospital cardiac arrests were identified. The overall incidence in the Netherlands is 3.5 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in children per 100,000 pediatric inhabitants. The overall survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was 11.4%. Eleven (52%) of the survivors were in the drowning group and between 12 and 96 months of age.

CONCLUSION: Helicopter emergency medical services are frequently called to pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the Netherlands. The survival rate is normal to high compared with other countries. The 12- to 96-month age group and drowning seem to have a relatively favorable outcome.