Resuscitate the heart and remember the brain. A prospective observational study of cognitive outcome after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac arrest

Abstract

Cognitive outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest Aim: To investigate long-term cognitive outcomes after survival from Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) with neuropsychological assessment methods. Background: OHCA may cause cognitive impairments and functional disability due to hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Methods: Cognitive functions, health-related quality of life and affective symptoms were assessed at 3 and 12 months after resuscitation. Forty-eight survivors were prospectively included according to favorable outcome characteristics. Main results: At 3 months assessment cognitive tests for memory-, executive- and psychomotor functions were significantly impaired compared to normative population data. Longer coma duration was associated with poorer cognitive outcomes. Poorer cognitive outcomes was associated with worse reports of health-related quality of life. Few survivors reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. Minor changes in outcome measures were detected from 3 to 12 months. Less than half had cognitive impairments. Cognitive impairments were most often mild. Conclusions: OHCA survival is compatible with return to premorbid functioning and good health-related quality of life. However, cognitive functions should be assessed systematically after resuscitation to target the survivors that are in need of further rehabilitation interventions.