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Observational Study
. 2014 Jan;85(1):99-103.
doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2013.08.275. Epub 2013 Sep 12.

A history of smoking is associated with improved survival in patients treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia following cardiac arrest

Jeremy S Pollock  1 , Ryan D Hollenbeck  2 , Li Wang  3 , David R Janz  4 , Todd W Rice  4 , John A McPherson  2
Affiliations
Observational Study

A history of smoking is associated with improved survival in patients treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia following cardiac arrest

Jeremy S Pollock et al. Resuscitation. 2014 Jan.

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the association between smoking and survival with a good neurologic outcome in patients following cardiac arrest treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia (TH).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of a prospectively collected cohort of 188 consecutive patients following cardiac arrest treated with TH between May 2007 and January 2012. Smoking status was retrospectively collected via chart review and was classified as "ever" or "never". Primary endpoint was survival to hospital discharge with a good neurologic outcome and was compared between smokers and nonsmokers. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between smoking status and neurologic outcome at hospital discharge; adjusting for age, initial rhythm, time to return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), bystander CPR, and time to initiation of TH.

Results: Smokers were significantly more likely to survive to hospital discharge with good neurologic outcome compared to nonsmokers (50% vs. 28%, p=0.003). After adjusting for age, initial rhythm, time to ROSC, bystander CPR, and time to initiation of TH, a history of smoking was associated with increased odds of survival to hospital discharge with good neurologic outcome (OR 3.54, 95% CI 1.41-8.84, p=0.007).

Conclusions: Smoking is associated with improved survival with good neurologic outcome in patients following cardiac arrest. We hypothesize that our findings reflect global ischemic conditioning caused by smoking.

Keywords: Cardiac arrest; Post-resuscitation care; Smoking; Therapeutic hypothermia.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Frequency of ordinal CPC scores at hospital discharge and at follow-up. Median time to follow up for non-smokers and smokers was 3 months. CPC = cerebral performance score.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Forrest plot depicting odds ratio of having a good neurologic outcome. Six variables included in the analysis were age, smoking status, initial rhythm, time to ROSC, presence of bystander CPR and time to initiation of TH.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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