Predictors of mortality and neurological function in ICU patients recovering from cardiac arrest: A Spanish nationwide prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

To identify predictors of mortality and neurological function in adult ICU patients recovering from cardiac arrest.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort multicenter study was carried out.

SETTING

Forty-six polyvalent ICUs.

PATIENTS: A total of 595 patients recovering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA, n=285) or in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA, n=310).

MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLES: Survival and recovery of neurological function.

RESULTS

The mean cardiopulmonary resuscitation time was 18min (range 10-30). Moderate hypothermia was used in 197 patients, and 150 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved within 20min in 370 patients. Variables associated to mortality (ICU and in-hospital) were age (odds ratio [OR]=1.0, 95%CI 1.0-1.0 per year), non-cardiac origin of cardiac arrest (OR=2.16, 95%CI 1.38-3.38; P=0.001) and ROSC >20min (OR=3.07, 95%CI 1.97-4.78; P<0.001), whereas PCI and the presence of shockable rhythm exhibited a protective effect. Favorable neurological outcome was associated to shockable rhythm, ROSC <20min, and cardiac origin of arrest. Hypothermia did not affect survival or neurological outcome in the multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Age, non-cardiac origin of cardiac arrest and ROSC >20min were predictors of mortality. In contrast, cardiac arrest of cardiac origin, ROSC <20min, and defibrillable rhythms were associated to unfavorable neurological outcomes.