RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome of cardiac arrest in pediatric intensive care unit in relation to event variables. METHODS: The study included children with cardiac arrest who required resuscitation in pediatric intensive care unit over 1 y period. Two outcome variables were measured. The first was success [return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC)] and the second was survival to discharge from pediatric intensive care unit. RESULTS: Out of 700 admissions, 172 (24.6 %) patients developed cardiac arrest that required resuscitation. Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in 78 cases (45.3 %), 25 patients (14.5 %) survived to discharge and 94 patients (54.7 %) did not respond to resuscitations. Success and survival rates were significantly higher in cases resuscitated for ≤ 20 min than in cases resuscitated for > 20 min (100 % and 33.3 % vs. 32.4 % and 10.1 % respectively). Success and survival rates were better in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation than those not (48.1 % and 17.8 % vs. 37.2 % and 4.7 % respectively). Defibrillation was successful in 10 cases (25 %) and survival was in 1 case (0.5 %) and out of survivors, 80 % had good neurological outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of inhospital cardiac arrest was 24.6 % where 45.3 % of them achieved successful resuscitation. The duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (<20 min) and mechanical ventilation were an indicator for better success and survival rates.