Resuscitation Plus
TL;DR
In standardized simulated OHCA scenarios, use of the MySOS app was associated with a shorter time to first compression among dispatchers but a longer time to first compression among laypersons, and no significant association was observed between MySOS use and time to first shock.
Abstract
Objective Early bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and rapid automated external defibrillator (AED) use are key determinants of survival following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Smartphone applications may enhance dispatcher-assisted CPR (DA-CPR) and facilitate early AED access; however, evidence regarding their effectiveness in standardized simulation settings remains limited. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a smartphone application for DA-CPR and AED response during simulated OHCA. Methods This randomized simulation-based study was conducted using standardized OHCA scenarios in a controlled simulation environment. Fifty emergency medical dispatch personnel and 190 trained lay responders were randomly assigned to either a smartphone application group or a standard practice group. Primary outcomes were time to CPR initiation and time to first AED shock. Secondary outcomes included time to OHCA recognition, time to scenario completion, and high-quality CPR performance. Outcomes were compared using independent t-tests or Welch’s t-tests, as appropriate. Results Among dispatchers (n = 50), smartphone application use was associated with a shorter time to CPR initiation than the control condition (mean difference [MD], −0.56 min; 95% confidence interval [CI], −1.05 to −0.07; p = 0.026). Among lay responders (n = 190), application use was associated with shorter times to OHCA recognition (MD, −0.13 min; 95% CI, −0.21 to −0.05; p = 0.001) and scenario completion (MD, −0.24 min; 95% CI, −0.42 to −0.06; p = 0.011), but a longer time to CPR initiation (MD, 0.24 min; 95% CI, 0.01–0.47; p = 0.038). No statistically significant between-group differences were observed in the time to first AED shock or overall high-quality CPR performance. Conclusion In standardized simulated OHCA scenarios, use of the MySOS app was associated with a shorter time to first compression among dispatchers but a longer time to first compression among laypersons. No significant association was observed between MySOS use and time to first shock.