Real-life time and distance covered by lay first responders alerted by means of smartphone-application: Implications for early initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and access to automatic external defibrillators.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate the distance covered by lay first responders (LFR) alerted for an out-of- hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), evaluate the time elapsed between mission acceptance and arrival at the OHCA site, as well as the distance between the LFRs to the closest automatic external defibrillator (AED).

Methods: The LFR route, thus time, distance information, and the average speed of each responder were estimated. The same methodology was used to calculate the distance between the closest AED and the LFRs, as well as the distance between the AED and OHCA site.

Validation of the return of spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest (RACA) score in two different national territories.

Background: The likelihood of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is influenced by unmodifiable (gender, aetiology, location, the presence of witnesses and initial rhythm) and modifiable factors (bystander CPR and the time to EMS arrival). All of these have been included in the ROSC After Cardiac Arrest (RACA) score.

Purpose: To test the ability of the RACA score to predict the probability of ROSC in two different regions with different local resuscitation networks: the Swiss Canton Ticino and the Italian Province of Pavia.