Acute cardiac care & resuscitationCross-sectional study
Effect of prehospital respiratory interventions on pediatric drowning outcomes
- cross-sectional study
- sub-analysis
- 32 pediatric emergency departments
Authors' conclusion
In pediatric patients in OHCA following drowning, endotracheal intubation was not associated with significantly different odds of favorable neurological outcome or survival at hospital discharge compared to BVM. No differences in outcomes also occurred in non-OHCA patients based on provision of prehospital supplemental oxygen.
Study context
- Population
- Children 0–18 years old who presented post-drowning to pediatric emergency departments from 2010 to 2017No OHCA 2,975 (93%) · OHCA 213 (7%)
- Participants
- 3,188 patients
- Exposure
- Outcomes were compared by cardiac arrest status and respiratory intervention using logistic regression
- Outcome
- Survival or favorable neurological outcomes (Cerebral Performance Category)
- Follow-up
- Hospital discharge
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
intubation vs BVMAdjusted odds ratio (95% CI)
favorable neurological outcome, OHCA patients
0.6(0.1–3.5)
survival, OHCA patients
2.0(0.6–7.2)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Patient characteristics
- Median age
- 3.3 years (IQR: 2.0, 5.6)
- male
- 61%
Original publication
Effect of prehospital respiratory interventions on pediatric drowning outcomes. Resuscitation. Published 10 March 2026. doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2026.111048
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it