Comparison of Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Cardiopulmonary Arrest Patients

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics, laboratory findings, and clinical processes of patients admitted to the emergency department with cardiopulmonary arrest due to traumatic and non-traumatic causes, and to identify factors associated with mortality.Materials and Methods: In this retrospective, single-center study, patients admitted to a tertiary emergency department with a preliminary diagnosis of cardiopulmonary arrest were included. Patients were classified into traumatic and non- traumatic groups according to the etiology of arrest. Demographic data, time of admission, arrest etiology, intensive care unit admission status, laboratory parameters (arterial blood gas pH value and serum lactate level), and length of stay were obtained from the hospital automation system.Results: A total of 434 patients were included in the study. Of these, 342 patients (78.8%) died in emergency department, while 92 patients (21.2%) were admitted to the intensive care unit. The mean age of non-survivors was significantly higher than that of survivors (p=0.033). Intensıve care unit mortality was found to be 76.1%. In patients who died, admission blood pH values were significantly lower (p=0.016), and lactate levels were significantly higher (p=0.011). No statistically significant association was found between mortality and arrest etiology (traumatic vs. non-traumatic) (p>0.05). No significant differences were observed in arterial blood pH and lactate levels at admission between medical and traumatic patients admitted to the intensive care unit (p>0.05).Conclusion: Advanced age, low arterial pH, and elevated lactate levels were identified as important prognostic factors associated with mortality in patients admitted to the emergency department with cardiopulmonary arrest. Whether the etiology of the cardiopulmonary arrest was traumatic or non-traumatic did not show a statistically significant difference in mortality.