Impact of COVID-19 on Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Singapore

Shir Lynn Lim, Nur Shahidah, Seyed Ehsan Saffari, Qin Xiang Ng, Andrew Fu Wah Ho, Benjamin Sieu-Hon Leong, Shalini Arulanandam, Fahad Javaid Siddiqui and Marcus Eng Hock Ong
Additional contact information
Shir Lynn Lim: Department of Cardiology, National University Heart Center, Singapore 119228, Singapore
Nur Shahidah: Department of Emergency Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore 169608, Singapore
Seyed Ehsan Saffari: Center for Quantitative Medicine, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
Qin Xiang Ng: Emergency Medical Services Department, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore 408827, Singapore
Andrew Fu Wah Ho: Department of Emergency Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore 169608, Singapore
Benjamin Sieu-Hon Leong: Emergency Medicine Department, National University Hospital, Singapore 119085, Singapore
Shalini Arulanandam: Emergency Medical Services Department, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore 408827, Singapore
Fahad Javaid Siddiqui: Pre-Hospital and Emergency Research Center, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
Marcus Eng Hock Ong: Department of Emergency Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore 169608, Singapore

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Singapore. We used data from the Singapore Civil Defence Force to compare the incidence, characteristics and outcomes of all Emergency Medical Services (EMS)-attended adult OHCA during the pandemic (January–May 2020) and pre-pandemic (January–May 2018 and 2019) periods. Pre-hospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was the primary outcome. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for the characteristics of OHCA. Of the 3893 OHCA patients (median age 72 years, 63.7% males), 1400 occurred during the pandemic period and 2493 during the pre-pandemic period. Compared with the pre-pandemic period, OHCAs during the pandemic period more likely occurred at home (aOR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.24–1.75) and were witnessed (aOR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.49–1.97). They received less bystander CPR (aOR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.61–0.81) despite 65% of witnessed arrests by a family member, and waited longer for EMS (OR ? 10 min: 1.71, 95% CI 1.46–2.00). Pre-hospital ROSC was less likely during the pandemic period (aOR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.53–0.84). The pandemic saw increased OHCA incidence and worse outcomes in Singapore, likely indirect effects of COVID-19.

Keywords: coronavirus disease 2019; out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; return of spontaneous circulation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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