Article

Among survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), the
functional outcomes of those with rapid early or with very delayed recoveries are
known. For patients between those extremes early recovery is variable, and the
probability of longer-term recovery and the implications for quality of life have
not been clearly defined. METHODS: Twenty-five patients of a consecutive cohort
of OHCA survivors with coma duration between 12 h and 7 days and a matched group
with acute coronary syndrome underwent cognitive and disability assessments 3 and
12 months after OHCA. Correlations and regression analyses of demographic,
clinical arrest variables, and cognitive tests with quality of life outcomes were
performed. RESULTS: The OHCA group had impairments in all cognitive domains.
There was little cognitive improvement. The OHCA group reported significantly
greater health impact and lower quality of life at twelve months than the
controls. Longer duration of coma (4-7 versus </= 3 days) and greater cognitive
impairment at three months, particularly memory impairment, were both associated
with reduced late quality of life. CONCLUSIONS:
These survivors of OHCA had
persistent long-term cognitive deficits. Quality of life at one year after OHCA
was reduced compared to cardiac controls. Coma duration and memory impairment at
three months were harbingers of long term reduced quality of life.

Langue : ANGLAIS