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Table 1 Inclusion/exclusion criteria for the asphyxia group and the ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VF/VT) group of patients

From: Difference in end-tidal CO2 between asphyxia cardiac arrest and ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia cardiac arrest in the prehospital setting

VF/VT group

   VF/VT initial rhythm

   Age > 18 years

   Core temperature > 30°C

   Confirmed acute myocardial infarction and/or primary VF/VT (electrocardiogram, enzymes, autopsy, electrophysiological investigation)

   Excluded patients with successful defibrillation in the first cycle

   Excluded patients with acute myocardial infarction with asystole and pulseless electrical activity as the initial rhythm

Asphyxia group

   Asystole and pulseless electrical activity as the initial rhythm

   Excluded patients with VF/VT as the initial rhythm

   Age > 18 years

   Core temperature > 30°C

   Excluded acute myocardial infarction as cause of arrest (clinical investigations and/or autopsy)

   Etiology:

solid foreign body in the airway

aspiration

edema or tumor of the upper airway

hanging (excluded vasculatory or others causes of arrest – clinical investigations or autopsy)

   Acute asthma attack (excluded cardiac causes of arrest)

   Drowning (excluded cardiac causes of arrest)

   Intoxications (excluded others causes of death – autopsy and/or added investigations in hospital