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ARTICLES:
Elizabeth A. Hunt, Allen R. Walker, Donald H. Shaffner, Marlene R. Miller, and Peter J. Pronovost
Simulation of In-Hospital Pediatric Medical Emergencies and Cardiopulmonary Arrests: Highlighting the Importance of the First 5 Minutes
Pediatrics 2008; 121: e34-e43 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
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[Read eLetters] Very important study--repeat it with adult scenarios?
John A Stewart   (18 January 2008)

Very important study--repeat it with adult scenarios? 18 January 2008
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John A Stewart,
RN
Virginia Mason Medical Center

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Re: Very important study--repeat it with adult scenarios?

john.stewart{at}vmmc.org John A Stewart

A very important and timely study, coming out as it does at the same time as the NEJM article "Delayed defibrillation after in-hospital cardiac arrest" (Jan. 3 issue). That study is welcome as it casts light on an important problem, but the time-interval data on which it is based (NRCPR data) are obviously invalid. Median time to first shock of 1 minute? I don't think so. Real time interval data would show that the problem is much more serious than suggested in the NEJM article. I have no doubt that the problems revealed in your simulation study are there for adult arrests as well, but others may raise that question. Do you have any plans to repeat the study with adult scenarios?

Conflict of Interest:

None declared