Effects of implementing mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation devices on out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest patients in Taiwan

Abstract

BackgroundOut‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation (M‐CPR) devices were successively introduced in Taiwan to enhance the quality and efficiency of OHCA resuscitation. This study investigated the impact of the introduced M‐CPR devices on OHCA resuscitation outcomes and assessed potential disparities between six special municipalities and other counties and cities.MethodsThis study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital (number: 113116‐F). Data from the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of the Interior between 2009 and 2021 were analyzed for return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rate, discharge rate, and ROSC to hospital discharge. Linear regression evaluated changes before and after 2017 while pooled t‐tests compared the two datasets. Chi‐squared analysis and repeated measure Analysis of Variance assessed potential disparities between the six special municipalities and other counties/cities from 2018 to 2021.ResultsPost‐2017 data displayed significantly improved ROSC and discharge rates with positive trends in linear regression analysis. Pooled t‐tests revealed statistically significant differences in 2017 and 2021 ROSC and discharge rates (p < 0.05) while not between ROSC and hospital discharge (p = 0.117). Additionally, six special municipalities exhibited higher ROSC and discharge rates. While M‐CPR devices enhance resuscitation quality, overall recovery depends on multiple factors that need to be addressed comprehensively to optimize patient outcomes.ConclusionThis study showed that the introduction of mechanical CPRs has been successful in improving the ROSC and discharge rates of OHCA patients in Taiwan, while confounding factors are essential for optimizing patient outcomes and improving ROSC rates following cardiac arrest.