Several studies have previously reported that a prolonged emergency department length of stay (EDLOS) is associated with poor outcomes in critically ill patients. This study was performed to investigate the relationship between the EDLOS and the neurologic outcome at 28 days in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients.

We conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from OHCA patients who achieved the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in the EDs of three urban tertiary teaching hospitals from December 2013 to October 2020. Patients were divided into four groups according to the EDLOS, according to the quartile distribution: EDLOS <107 min, EDLOS 107–176 min, EDLOS 176–275 min, and EDLOS ≥275 min. Comparisons of outcomes among the groups and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed.

A total of 807 patients were included in the analysis. The proportions of patients with a good neurologic outcome at 28 days in the groups with EDLOS <107 min, EDLOS 107–176 min, EDLOS 176–275 min, and EDLOS ≥275 min were 37.0%, 29.8%, 26.9, and 20.4%, respectively (p < 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, the odds ratios for a poor neurologic outcome at 28 days in the groups with EDLOS 107–176 min, EDLOS 176–275 min, and EDLOS ≥275 min compared with the group with EDLOS <107 min were 1.19 (95% CI, 0.67–2.13), 1.73 (95% CI, 0.95–3.21), and 1.91 (95% CI, 1.03–3.57), respectively.

An EDLOS longer than 275 min after the ROSC was independently associated with a poor neurologic outcome at 28 days.