Outcomes after sudden cardiac arrest in sports centres with and without on-site external defibrillators

ObjectiveSudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a rare but tragic event during amateur sports activities. Our aim is to analyse whether availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in amateur sports centres could impact on SCA survival.MethodsThis is an observational study. During an 18-year period, data regarding exercise-related SCA in sports centres were prospectively collected. Survival rates and time to response were compared between centres with an AED already available and centres where an AED was not already present.ResultsOut of 252 sports facilities, 207 (82%) acquired an AED during follow-up while 45 (18%) did not. From 1999 to 2014, there were 26 SCAs (24 (92%) men, 54±17 years old) with 15 (58%) of them in centres with on-site AED. Neurologically intact survival rates were 93% in centres with on-site AED and 9% in centres without (P