ObjectiveTo evaluate the characteristics of poisoning-induced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (pOHCA) and the factors influencing survival to discharge and good neurological outcomes using a nationwide, population-based database.DesignNationwide, retrospective, population-based cohort study.Setting and participantsThis study included adult patients who had experienced pOHCA and those who had not (non-pOHCA patients) in South Korea from January 2008 to December 2018.Outcome measuresThe primary outcome was survival to discharge, and the secondary outcome was a good neurological outcome.MethodsThe basic characteristics of pOHCA and non-pOHCA patients were analysed by descriptive analysis. Logistic regression analysis was conducted for related variables, including pOHCA.ResultsA total of 173 190 patients were included, and 3582 patients (2.1%) were in the pOHCA group. Some of the pOHCA patients were young (58.2±17.8 vs 69.0±15.5, p<0.001), a few of their cardiac arrests were witnessed (12.8% vs 45.1%, p<0.001), a few were resuscitated by bystanders (8.2% vs 14.8%, p<0.001) and they had low shockable rhythm rates (1.2% vs 8.8%, p<0.001). They showed significantly lower survival to discharge and poorer neurological outcomes than non-pOHCA patients (survival to discharge, 3.7% vs 6.2%, p<0.001; good neurological outcomes, 1.3% vs 3.2%, p<0.001). There were no significant differences between pOHCA and non-pOHCA patients in terms of the adjusted ORs for survival to discharge (adjusted OR 0.608; 95% CI 0.86 to 1.27) and good neurological outcomes (adjusted OR 1.03; 95% CI 0.73 to 1.42).ConclusionThis study shows that apparent aetiology of OHCA caused by poison, did not influence survival to discharge and good neurological outcomes. Furthermore, pOHCA occurs in younger patients and has fewer witnesses and shockable rhythms. pOHCA did not influence survival to discharge and good neurological outcomes. Also, pesticides and gases were the most frequent substances causing pOHCA in South Korea.