Does race or socioeconomic status predict adverse outcome after out of hospital cardiac arrest: a multi-center study

Objective: To assess whether socioeconomic status (SES) or race is associat ed with adverse outcome after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Met hods: A convenience sample of OHCA of presumed cardiac origin from seven su burban cities in Michigan, 1991-1996. Median household income (HHI), utiliz ing patient home address and 1990 census tract data, was dichotomized above and below 1990 state median income. Patient race was dichotomized as black or white. Outcome was defined as survival to hospital discharge (DC). Mult iple logistic regression and Pearson's chi(2) values were used for analysis . Results: Of 1317 cases with complete data for analysis, the average age w as 67.3 +/- 16.0, 939 (71.1%) were white, 587 (44.4%) arrests were witnesse d (WIT), and 65 (4.9%) were DC alive. There was no significant difference b etween races with respect to WIT arrests, V-T/V-F arrest rhythms, and a sma ll difference in EMS response interval. Whites were more likely to be above median HHI (57.1 vs. 26.2%, P < 0.001). Adjusted odds ratios for predictor s of survival were WIT arrest (OR = 3.76, 95% CI (1.7, 8.2)), V-T/V-F (OR = 8.74, 95% CI (3.7, 10.8), but not race (OR=0.68, 95% CI (0.3, 1.4)) or SES (OR = 1.51,95% CI 0.8, 2.8). Conclusion: In this population, neither race nor SES was independently associated with a worse outcome after OHCA. (C) 1 999 Elsevier Science Inland Ltd. All rights reserved.