Martin, Cathryn Sarah2025-02-202022-12Martin, Cathryn Sarah. (2022). Practices and outcomes of resuscitation in cardiac arrest at a South African Emergency Department. Masters dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/43935https://hdl.handle.net/10539/43935A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Medicine, to the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022.Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the patient and resuscitation factors affecting outcome after cardiac arrest in the low-middle income setting. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of patient’s aged ≥18 who experienced in-hospital cardiac arrest in the Emergency Department between January 2020 and December 2020 at a tertiary hospital. The data collection period included the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was the outcome of interest. The registry from which data was collected was audited. Results: 98 patients were included. The ROSC rate was 43%. Asystole was associated with poor outcomes (likelihood 7.73, p ≤0.01). Cardiac standstill on ultrasound was associated with poor outcome (likelihood ratio 6.559, p ≤0.01). There was a significant improvement in ROSC after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and a transition from airway management with bag-valve-mask to endotracheal intubation intra-arrest (p=0.04). Demographic factors, defibrillation and drug-use were found to have no significant impact. Conclusions: The resuscitation practices and outcomes in the low-middle income setting are similar to high-income settings. Further research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on resuscitation outcomes in this setting is necessary.en©2022 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.In-hospital cardiac arrestCardiopulmonary resuscitationCOVID-19Registry auditUCTDSDG-3: Good health and well-beingSDG-4: Quality educationDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg0000-0003-1345-598X