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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015 Feb 6:23:12.
doi: 10.1186/s13049-014-0084-9.

Functional outcome, cognition and quality of life after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and therapeutic hypothermia: data from a randomized controlled trial

Marjaana Tiainen  1 , Erja Poutiainen  2   3 , Tuomas Oksanen  4 , Kirsi-Maija Kaukonen  5 , Ville Pettilä  6 , Markus Skrifvars  7 , Tero Varpula  8 , Maaret Castrén  9   10
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Functional outcome, cognition and quality of life after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and therapeutic hypothermia: data from a randomized controlled trial

Marjaana Tiainen et al. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. .

Abstract

Background: To study functional neurologic and cognitive outcome and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a cohort of patients included in a randomised controlled trial on glucose control following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) from ventricular fibrillation (VF) treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

Methods: Patients alive at 6 months after being discharged from the hospital underwent clinical neurological and extensive neuropsychological examinations. Functional outcome was evaluated with the Cerebral Performance Category scale, the modified Rankin scale and the Barthel Index. Cognitive outcome was evaluated by neuropsychological test battery including two measures of each cognitive function: cognitive speed, execution, memory, verbal skills and visuospatial performance. We also assessed quality of life with a HRQoL 15D questionnaire.

Results: Of 90 OHCA-VF patients included in the original trial, 57 were alive at 6 months. Of these, 52 (91%) were functionally independent and 54 (95%) lived at their previous home. Focal neurological deficits were scarce. Intact cognitive performance was observed in 20 (49%), mild to moderate deficits in 14 (34%) and severe cognitive deficits in 7 (17%) of 41 patients assessed by a neuropsychologist. Cognitive impairments were most frequently detected in executive and memory functions. HRQoL of the CA survivors was comparable to that of age- and gender matched population.

Conclusions: Functional outcome six months after OHCA and therapeutic hypothermia was good in the great majority of the survivors, and half of them were cognitively intact. Of note, the HRQoL of CA survivors did not differ from that of age- and gender matched population.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow-chart of study patients.
Figure 2
Figure 2
CPC, Modified Rankin, Barthel Index and NIHSS six months after cardiac arrest. y-axis shows the percentage of patients.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Self-assessed health-related quality of life by 15D in cardiac arrest survivors at six months compared to age- and gender matched population.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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