First Responder Airway & Compression Rate Trial (FACT Study)
University of Washington
Summary
The First responder Airway \& Compression rate Trial (FACT) Study will address basic life support (BLS) treatments administered by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) first responders to patients who suffer a sudden circulatory (pulseless) collapse, referred to as sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (SCA). The investigators propose a randomized controlled trial among persons who suffer SCA to compare these two rescue breathing approaches (standard Bag Valve Mask vs i-gel) along with evaluating a more precise chest compression rate within the range of 100-120 compressions per minute during CPR. Importantly, each of these treatments fall within established resuscitation guidelines and are already administered as part of standard care in clinical practice. Thus this proposed trial will essentially be comparing one standard-of-care treatment against another standard-of-care treatment. The study will address two primary aims: Aim 1: To compare survival to hospital discharge between SCA patients randomized to BVM versus the i-gel for rescue breathing. The hypothesis is that treatment with i-gel will result in a higher rate of survival to hospital discharge than BVM. Aim 2: To compare survival to hospital discharge between SCA patients randomized to chest compression rates of 100 versus 110 versus 120 per minute. The hypothesis is that treatment with 100 chest compressions per minute will result in a higher rate of survival to hospital discharge than compression rates of 110 or 120 per minute.
Description
The First responder Airway \& Compression rate Trial (FACT) Study will address basic life support (BLS) treatments administered by EMS first responders to patients who suffer a sudden circulatory (pulseless) collapse, referred to as sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (SCA). The current standard of practice for first responder CPR includes chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute combined with rescue breathing using either a bag valve mask (BVM) or a type of oral airway called an i-gel. During rescue breathing with a BVM, a mask is attached to a breathing bag and place…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults suffering out-of-hospital non-traumatic SCA in Seattle and greater King County in whom resuscitation will be attempted by first responding EMS personnel. Exclusion Criteria: * if advanced paramedic providers are first on-scene and have already initiated advanced life support (ALS) procedures, * a written advance directive (do not attempt resuscitation orders), * traumatic arrest (blunt, penetrating, burn), * known prisoner, * known pregnancy, * other protected populations (pediatrics), * pre-existing tracheostomy, * recipients of mechanical ventilator support, o…
Interventions
- Deviceigel
First responder ventilation strategy. First responders in King County routinely use the BVM as part of core treatment of SCA. As part of EMS training, we have introduced a training module for use of the igel in simulated resuscitation, which has been enthusiastically accepted by EMS leadership and providers. The i-gel is already successfully practiced by BLS providers in a number of other communities and challenges in training and clinical application will be monitored, but not anticipated.
- ProcedureCompression Rate
Compression rates. The EMS system routinely measures EMS CPR performance and specifically the chest compression rate using information derived and electronically recorded from defibrillator patches. As detailed in the Background section, this CPR surveillance activity highlights the variability of compression rates across the guideline-directed range of 100-120 compressions per minute. In addition our CPR surveillance indicates that a metronome can be used to obtain and maintain a specific compression rate within the parameters specified by this trial. This will be the tool used to guide compliance with the assigned chest compression rate by on-scene providers.
Location
- King County EMSSeattle, Washington