Defibrillation success rates for electrically-induced fibrillation: hair of the dog

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2012:2012:689-93. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2012.6346025.

Abstract

Accidental electrocutions kill about 1000 individuals annually in the USA alone. There has not been a systematic review or modeling of elapsed time duration defibrillation success rates following electrically-induced VF. With such a model, there may be an opportunity to improve the outcomes for industrial electrocutions and further understand arrest-related-deaths where a TASER(®) electrical weapon was involved. We searched for MedLine indexed papers dealing with defibrillation success following electrically-induced VF with time durations of 1 minute or greater post VF induction. We found 10 studies covering a total of 191 experiments for defibrillation of electrically-induced VF for post-induction durations out to 16 minutes including 0-9 minutes of pre-shock chest compressions. The results were fitted to a logistic regression model. Total minutes of VF and use of pre-shock chest compressions were significant predictors of success (p < .00005 and p= .003 respectively). The number of minutes of chest compressions was not a predictor of success. With no compressions, the 90% confidence of successful defibrillation is reached at 6 minutes and the median time limit for success is 9.5 minutes. However, with pre-shock chest compressions, the modeled data suggest a 90% success rate at 10 minutes and a 50% rate at 14 minutes.1.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Conducted Energy Weapon Injuries / complications
  • Dogs
  • Electric Countershock / methods*
  • Electric Countershock / statistics & numerical data
  • Electric Injuries / complications*
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Models, Cardiovascular
  • Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / mortality
  • Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / therapy
  • Time Factors
  • Ventricular Fibrillation / etiology*
  • Ventricular Fibrillation / therapy*