Predicting the outcome of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients is crucial. We examined hospital characteristics and parameters of emergency medical service (including scene time interval and direct ambulance delivery to intensive heart hospitals) as survival or outcome predictors.

Data from 546 consecutive OHCA shockable patients treated between January 2012 and December 2015 in Taoyuan City (Taiwan, ROC) were collected. In addition to demographic data, location of arrest, initial rhythm, availability of a hospital with or without 24/7 percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), emergency medical service (EMS) time, provision of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by a bystander, presence of a witness at collapse, and level of life support were analysed.

Multivariate analysis showed that hospitalisation with immediate PCI availability was an independent predictor (OR: 4.32; 95% CI: 1.27–14.70) solely for the outcome of survival until discharge. The presence of a witness while collapsing (OR: 3.52; 95% CI: 1.03–11.98), EMS response time (OR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.70–0.98), and scene time interval (STI; OR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.81–0.99) were valuable for predicting the neurological outcome.

Direct ambulance delivery to intensive heart hospitals that had 24/7 PCI availability was associated with a higher probability of surviving until discharge in OHCA patients with shockable rhythms. Similarly, a witnessed collapse was correlated with being discharged alive from hospital and recovering with good cerebral performance. In addition, longer response time and scene time interval indicated poorer survival and neurological outcome.