2025 Korean Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: Part 8 Pediatric advanced life support

Abstract

The 2025 Korean pediatric advanced life support guideline update introduces clinically important revisions emphasizing airway strategy, physiologic resuscitation targets, post-cardiac arrest hemodynamics, neuroprotection, and extracorporeal support. In out-of-hospital pediatric cardiac arrest, bag-mask ventilation is now suggested over endotracheal intubation or supraglottic airway placement. In in-hospital arrest, evidence is insufficient to favor bag-mask ventilation versus advanced airways; however, endotracheal intubation or supraglottic airway insertion is reasonable when performed with minimal interruption or when bag-mask ventilation is ineffective. For patients with an advanced airway in place, age-adjusted ventilation rates are proposed to avoid hypoventilation and hyperventilation: 30/min (<1 yr), 20-30/min (1-8 yr), and 10-20/min (8-18 yr in healthcare settings). When invasive arterial monitoring is available during in-hospital cardiac arrest, target diastolic blood pressure is >= 25 mmHg in infants and >= 30 mmHg in children >= 1 year. After return of spontaneous circulation, systolic blood pressure during the first 6 hours should be maintained above the age-specific 10th percentile. Neuroprognostication should be multimodal, incorporating serial examinations, electroencephalography (up to 72 hours), early computed tomography (<24 hours), magnetic resonance imaging (72 hours to 2 weeks), lactate trends, and pupillary reflexes. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is limited to appropriately resourced hospitals and may be considered for selected in-hospital arrests (e.g., cardiac disease) unresponsive to conventional CPR; evidence remains insufficient for out-of-hospital use. These revisions shift pediatric resuscitation toward physiology-guided, resource-stratified, and neuroprotective care.