While previous studies have shown that the initial documented rhythm is associated with clinical outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), little is known about the difference in clinical outcomes between pulseless ventricular tachycardia (p-VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF).
 
  From a nationwide, prospective population-based database of OHCA from 2011 to 2015, we selected bystander-witnessed adult patients who were not treated with a public automated external defibrillator. The outcomes examined were favorable 30-day neurological survival rates, 30-day survival rates, and prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rates. To determine the association of the initial documented rhythm with outcome, we used a logistic regression model while adjusting for patient factors and prehospital care-related factors.
 
  A total of 19,594 bystander-witnessed OHCA patients who had a shockable rhythm were included 454 (2.3%) were p-VT and 19,140 (97.7%) were VF. Compared to VF patients, p-VT patients were older, less likely to have a cardiogenic cause, and had shorter resuscitation-related time intervals (collapse to bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, collapse to emergency medical services contact, collapse to first ROSC, and first defibrillation to first ROSC). After adjustment for covariates, p-VT was associated with high favorable 30-day neurological survival rates (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30-2.64, p = 0.001), 30-day survival rates (adjusted OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03-1.95, p = 0.037), and prehospital ROSC rates (adjusted OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.42-2.55, p < 0.001).
 
  In this study, patients with p-VT as the initial documented rhythm had significantly better outcomes than those with VF.
 In this study, patients with p-VT as the initial documented rhythm had significantly better outcomes than those with VF.
  Many countries reported an increase of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, all these data refer to regional settings and national data are still missing. We aimed to assess the OHCA incidence and population mortality during COVID-19 pandemic in whole Switzerland and in the different regions (Cantons) according to the infection rate.
 
  We considered OHCAs and deaths which occurred in Switzerland after the first diagnosed case of COVID-19 (February 25th) and for the subsequent 65 days and in the same period in 2019.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/AT9283.html  We also compared Cantons with high versus low COVID-19 incidence.
 
  A 2.4% reduction in OHCA cases was observed in Switzerland. The reduction was particularly high (-21.4%) in high-incidence COVID-19 cantons, whilst OHCAs increased by 7.7% in low-incidence COVID-19 cantons. Mortality increased by 8.6% in the entire nation a 27.8% increase in high-incidence cantons and a slight decrease (-0.7%) in low-incidence cantons was observed. The OHCA occurred more frequently at home, CPR and AED use by bystander were less frequent during the pandemic. Conversely, the OHCAs percentage in which a first responder was present, initiated the CPR and used an AED, increased. The outcome of patients in COVID-19 high-incidence cantons was worse compared to low-incidence cantons.
 
  During the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland mortality increased in Cantons with high-incidence of infection, whilst not in the low-incidence ones. OHCA occurrence followed an opposite trend showing how variables related to the health-system and EMS organization deeply influence OHCA occurrence during a pandemic.
 During the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland mortality increased in Cantons with high-incidence of infection, whilst not in the low-incidence ones. OHCA occurrence followed an opposite trend showing how variables related to the health-system and EMS organization deeply influence OHCA occurrence during a pandemic.
  Trends in neurologically intact survival after paediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remain unclear. In the present study, we aimed to determine trends in 1-month neurologically intact survival after paediatric OHCA over time.
 
  We reviewed the data of 5461 children (aged < 18 years) who experienced bystander-witnessed OHCA and were included in the nationwide Japanese registry from 2005 to 2017. Patients were divided into three groups according to study period 2005-2010, 2011-2015, and 2016-2017. We analysed the trends in 1-month neurologically intact survival rates over time.
 
  The risk-adjusted odds of 1-month neurologically intact survival (odds ratio, 1.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.41-2.44) were significantly improved by 2016-2017 compared with baseline. Similar improvements in 1-month neurologically intact survival rates were observed with both standard bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with rescue breaths and chest compression-only bystander CPR (
  for trend < 0.05 and < 0.001, respectively). In the subgroup analyses by aetiology, the 1-month neurologically intact survival rate in patients with OHCA of non-traumatic origin significantly increased from 11.8%-15.1% to 19.7% (
  for trend < 0.001) but not in those with OHCA of traumatic origin (from 4.9% to 3.4% to 4.1%; 
  for trend = 0.29).
 
  The 1-month neurologically intact survival rate significantly increased from 2005 to 2017 in Japanese children with bystander-witnessed OHCA, regardless of bystander CPR type; This increase was noted in patients with OHCA of non-traumatic origin but not in those with OHCA of traumatic origin.
 The 1-month neurologically intact survival rate significantly increased from 2005 to 2017 in Japanese children with bystander-witnessed OHCA, regardless of bystander CPR type; This increase was noted in patients with OHCA of non-traumatic origin but not in those with OHCA of traumatic origin.
  Snorkelling is a popular aquatic activity which may result in fatal and non-fatal drowning. However, little is known about the scale of injury, factors impacting risk and strategies for prevention. This review assesses the current literature on snorkelling-related drowning with the aim of assessing available data, improving safety recommendations and reducing the global mortality burden.
 
  A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature in English, Spanish and Portuguese language published between 1 January 1980 and 31 October 2020 was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. CINAHL Complete, Embase, Medline (Ovid), PubMed, SafetyLit, SportDiscus and grey literature were searched to identify studies reporting the incidence of fatal and non-fatal snorkelling-related drowning, or associated risk factors, prevention strategies, treatments or casualty characteristics. Quality was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool.
 
  Forty-three studies were included (26 reporting population data, 17 case series), of which 27 (62.