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Multicenter Study
. 2020 Jan;68(1):39-45.
doi: 10.1111/jgs.16270. Epub 2019 Dec 15.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Adults Over 80: Outcome and the Perception of Appropriateness by Clinicians

Patrick Druwé  1 , Dominique D Benoit  1 , Koenraad G Monsieurs  2 , James Gagg  3 , Shinji Nakahara  4 , Evan Avraham Alpert  5 , Hans van Schuppen  6 , Gábor Élő  7 , Sofie A Huybrechts  2 , Nicolas Mpotos  8 , Luc-Marie Joly  9 , Theodoros Xanthos  10 , Markus Roessler  11 , Peter Paal  12 , Michael N Cocchi  13 , Conrad Bjørshol  14 , Jouni Nurmi  15 , Pascual Piñera Salmeron  16 , Radoslaw Owczuk  17 , Hildigunnur Svavarsdóttir  18 , Diana Cimpoesu  19 , Violetta Raffay  20 , Gal Pachys  21 , Peter De Paepe  22 , Ruth Piers  23 ; REAPPROPRIATE study group
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Adults Over 80: Outcome and the Perception of Appropriateness by Clinicians

Patrick Druwé et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2020 Jan.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of clinician perception of inappropriate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) regarding the last out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) encountered in an adult 80 years or older and its relationship to patient outcome.

Design: Subanalysis of an international multicenter cross-sectional survey (REAPPROPRIATE).

Setting: Out-of-hospital CPR attempts registered in Europe, Israel, Japan, and the United States in adults 80 years or older.

Participants: A total of 611 clinicians of whom 176 (28.8%) were doctors, 123 (20.1%) were nurses, and 312 (51.1%) were emergency medical technicians/paramedics.

Results and measurements: The last CPR attempt among patients 80 years or older was perceived as appropriate by 320 (52.4%) of the clinicians; 178 (29.1%) were uncertain about the appropriateness, and 113 (18.5%) perceived the CPR attempt as inappropriate. The survival to hospital discharge for the "appropriate" subgroup was 8 of 265 (3.0%), 1 of 164 (.6%) in the "uncertain" subgroup, and 2 of 107 (1.9%) in the "inappropriate" subgroup (P = .23); 503 of 564 (89.2%) CPR attempts involved non-shockable rhythms. CPR attempts in nursing homes accounted for 124 of 590 (21.0%) of the patients and were perceived as appropriate by 44 (35.5%) of the clinicians; 45 (36.3%) were uncertain about the appropriateness; and 35 (28.2%) perceived the CPR attempt as inappropriate. The survival to hospital discharge for the nursing home patients was 0 of 107 (0%); 104 of 111 (93.7%) CPR attempts involved non-shockable rhythms. Overall, 36 of 543 (6.6%) CPR attempts were undertaken despite a known written do not attempt resuscitation decision; 14 of 36 (38.9%) clinicians considered this appropriate, 9 of 36 (25.0%) were uncertain about its appropriateness, and 13 of 36 (36.1%) considered this inappropriate.

Conclusion: Our findings show that despite generally poor outcomes for older patients undergoing CPR, many emergency clinicians do not consider these attempts at resuscitation to be inappropriate. A professional and societal debate is urgently needed to ensure that first we do not harm older patients by futile CPR attempts. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:39-45, 2019.

Keywords: adults 80 and older; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; inappropriate care; nursing homes; out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

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References

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