A systematic review including 5 studies was abstracted in DARE. There was one randomised controlled trial, three non-randomised controlled studies with a concurrent control group, and one non-randomised controlled study with an historical control group. The total number of participants was unclear. The studies were generally of a poor quality. There was no statistically significant difference between intervention and control for the on-scene time interval (3 studies; WMD 1.19 minutes, 95% CI: -0.84, 3.21). The time to treatment from arrival in the emergency department was shorter in the intervention group than in the standard care control group (3 studies; WMD 36.1 minutes, 95% CI: -63.0, -9.27). There was statistically significant heterogeneity. There was no statistically significant difference in mortality between the group receiving prehospital ECG and advance hospital notification and those receiving standard care (8.4% and 15.6% mortality, respectively; P=0.22).
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (several limitations).