Timing for Computed Tomography and Post-Resuscitation Care on Short-Term Outcomes in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Launched by NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL · Apr 13, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking into how the timing of CT scans affects the outcomes for adults who have experienced a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. Specifically, it examines whether getting a CT scan sooner after a patient’s heart starts beating again (a process known as return of spontaneous circulation) can lead to better short-term survival rates. The study will collect data from patients treated at six branches of National Taiwan University Hospital between January 2016 and August 2024. Researchers want to see if faster use of CT imaging can help improve care for these patients in the emergency department.

To be eligible for this study, participants must be at least 20 years old and have had a non-traumatic cardiac arrest, meaning their heart stopped without being caused by an injury. They should have received emergency care, had their heart restarted, and undergone a CT scan afterward. Patients who had a heart attack due to a trauma, were moved to other hospitals, or had incomplete medical records will not be included. If you or a loved one fits these criteria, this study aims to understand how timely medical imaging can make a difference in recovery after a cardiac arrest.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Adults aged 20 years or older.
• • 2. Patients who experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), received resuscitative efforts in the emergency department, achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and subsequently underwent computed tomography (CT) imaging (regardless of the anatomical region scanned).
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Patients with cardiac arrest due to traumatic causes (traumatic OHCA).
• • 2. Patients who were transferred to non-NTUH-affiliated hospitals for post-resuscitation care.
• • 3. Patients whose prognosis could not be determined from medical records.
• • 4. Patients with incomplete, missing, or otherwise restricted medical records that limited data accessibility or review.