Post-intensive care syndrome and health-related quality of life in long-term survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective cohort study.

Patients discharged from intensive care are at risk for post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), which consists of physical, psychological, and/or neurological impairments. This study aimed to analyze PICS at 24 months follow-up, to identify potential risk factors for PICS, and to assess health-related quality of life in a long-term cohort of adult cardiac arrest survivors. This prospective cohort study included adult cardiac arrest survivors admitted to the intensive care unit of a Swiss tertiary academic medical center. The primary endpoint was the prevalence of PICS at 24 months follow-up, defined as impairments in physical (measured through the European Quality of Life 5-Dimensions-3-Levels instrument [EQ-5D-3L]), neurological (defined as Cerebral Performance Category Score > 2 or Modified Rankin Score > 3), and psychological (based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised) domains. Among 107 cardiac arrest survivors that completed the 2-year follow-up, 46 patients (43.0%) had symptoms of PICS, with 41 patients (38.7%) experiencing symptoms in the physical domain, 16 patients (15.4%) in the psychological domain, and 3 patients (2.8%) in the neurological domain. Key predictors for PICS in multivariate analyses were female sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.17, 95% CI 1.08 to 9.3), duration of no-flow interval during cardiac arrest (minutes) (aOR 1.17, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.33), post-discharge job-loss (aOR 31.25, 95% CI 3.63 to 268.83), need for ongoing psychological support (aOR 3.64, 95% CI 1.29 to 10.29) or psychopharmacologic treatment (aOR 9.49, 95% CI 1.9 to 47.3), and EQ-visual analogue scale (points) (aOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.93). More than one-third of cardiac arrest survivors experience symptoms of PICS 2 years after resuscitation, with the highest impairment observed in the physical and psychological domains. However, long-term survivors of cardiac arrest report intact health-related quality of life when compared to the general population. Future research should focus on appropriate prevention, screening, and treatment strategies for PICS in cardiac arrest patients.

Misconceptions and do-not-resuscitate preferences of healthcare professionals commonly involved in cardiopulmonary resuscitations: A national survey.

Aims: To assess the DNR preferences of critical care-, anesthesia- and emergency medicine practitioners, to identify factors influencing decision-making, and to raise awareness for misconceptions concerning CPR outcomes. Methods: A nationwide multicenter survey was conducted in Switzerland confronting healthcare professionals with a case vignette of an adult patient with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The primary outcome was the rate of DNR Code Status vs. CPR Code Status when taking the perspective from a clinical case vignette of a 70-year-old patient. Secondary outcomes were participants' personal preferences for DNR and estimates of survival with good neurological outcome after in- and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Results: Within 1803 healthcare professionals, DNR code status was preferred in 85% (n = 1532) in the personal perspective of the case vignette and 53.2% (n = 932) when making a decision for themselves. Main predictors for a DNR Code Status regarding the case vignette included preferences for DNR Code Status for themselves (n [%] 896 [58.5] vs. 87 [32.1]; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.25-3.92; p < 0.001) and lower estimated OHCA survival (mean [±SD] 12.3% [±11.8] vs. 14.7%[±12.8]; adjusted OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99; p = 0.001). Physicians chose a DNR order more often when compared to nurses and paramedics. Conclusions: The estimation of outcomes following cardiac arrest and personal living conditions are pivotal factors influencing code status preferences in healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals should be aware of cardiac arrest prognosis and potential implications of personal preferences when engaging in code status- and end-of-life discussions with patients and their relatives.

"Do-not-resuscitate" preferences of the general Swiss population: Results from a national survey.

AIMS: To assess the do-not-resuscitate preferences of the general Swiss population and to identify predictors influencing decision-making. Methods: A nationwide web-based survey was conducted in Switzerland on a representative sample of the adult population. The primary endpoint was the preference for a "Do Not Resuscitate" order (DNR Code Status) vs. cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR Code Status) in a clinical case vignette of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Secondary endpoint were participants' own personal preferences for DNR. Results: 1138 subjects participated in the web-based survey, 1044 were included in the final analysis. Preference for DNR code status was found in 40.5% (n = 423) in the case vignette and in 20.3% (n = 209) when making a personal decision for themselves. Independent predictors for DNR Code Status for the case vignette were: Personal preferences for their own DNR Code Status (adjusted OR 2.44, 95%CI 1.67 to 3.55; p < 0.001), intubation following respiratory failure (adjusted OR 1.95, 95%CI 1.20 to 3.18; p = 0.007), time-period after which resuscitation should not be attempted (adjusted OR 0.91, 95%CI 0.89 to 0.93); p < 0.001), and estimated chance of survival in case of a cardiac arrest (adjusted OR per decile 0.91, 95%CI 0.84 to 0.99, p = 0.02; which was overestimated by all participants. Conclusions: Main predictors for a DNR Code Status were personal preferences and the overestimation of good neurological outcome after cardiac arrest. Overestimation of positive outcomes after cardiac arrest seems to influence patient opinion and should thus be addressed during code status discussions.

Post-intensive care syndrome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients: A prospective observational cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Intensive care unit patients are at risk for post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), which includes psychological, physical and/or cognitive sequelae after their hospital stay. Our aim was to investigate PICS in adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). METHODS: In this prospective observational cohort study, we assessed risks for PICS at 3 and 12-month follow-up within the following domains: a) physical impairment (EuroQol [EQ-5D-3L]), b) cognitive functioning (Cerebral Performance Category [CPC] score >1, modified Rankin Scale [mRS] >2) and c) psychological burden (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS], Impact of Event Scale-Revised [IES-R]). RESULTS: At 3 months, 69/139 patients (50%) met the definition of PICS including 37% in the physical domain, 25% in the cognitive domain and 13% in the psychological domain. Intubation (OR 2.3, 95%CI 1.1 to 5,0 p = 0.03), sedatives (OR 3.4, 95%CI 1 to 11, p = 0.045), mRS at discharge (OR 4.3, 95%CI 1.70 to 11.01, p = 0.002), CPC at discharge (OR 3.3, 95%CI 1.4 to 7.6, p = 0.005) and post-discharge work loss (OR 13.4, 95%CI 1.7 to 107.5, p = 0.014) were significantly associated with PICS. At 12 months, 52/110 (47%) patients had PICS, which was associated with prolonged duration of rehabilitation, higher APACHE scores, and higher mRS and CPC scores at hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of long-term OHCA survivors show PICS after 3 and 12 months. These high numbers call for more emphasis on appropriate screening and treatment in this patient population. Future studies should evaluate whether early identification of these patients enables preventive strategies and treatment options.

Validating a pain assessment tool in heterogeneous ICU patients: Is it possible?

BACKGROUND: Non-communicative adult ICU patients are vulnerable to inadequate pain management with potentially severe consequences. In German-speaking countries, there is limited availability of a validated pain assessment tool for this population. AIM: The aim of this observational study was to test the German version of the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) in a heterogeneous adult ICU population. METHODS: The CPOT's feasibility for clinical use was evaluated via a questionnaire. For validity and reliability testing, the CPOT was compared with the Behavioural Pain Scale (BPS) and patient's self-report in 60 patients during 480 observations simultaneously performed by two raters. RESULTS: The feasibility evaluation demonstrated high satisfaction with clinical usability (85% of responses 4 or 5 on a 5-point Likert scale). The CPOT revealed excellent criterion validity [agreement between CPOT and BPS 94.0%, correlation of CPOT and BPS sum scores r = 0.91 (P < .05), agreement of CPOT with patient self-report 81.4%], good discriminant validity [mean difference of CPOT scores between at rest and non-painful stimulus 0.33 (P < .029), mean difference of CPOT scores between at rest, and painful stimulus 2.19 (P < .001)], for a CPOT cut-off score of >2 a high sensitivity and specificity (93% and 84%), high positive predictive value (85%), and a high negative predictive value (93%). The CPOT showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.79) and high inter-rater reliability [90% agreement, no differences in CPOT sum scores in 64.2% of observations, and correlation for CPOT sum scores r = 0.72 (P < .05)]. Self-report obtained in patients with delirium did not correlate with the CPOT rating in 62% of patients. CONCLUSION: This is the first validation study of the CPOT evaluating all of the described validity dimensions, including feasibility, at once. The results are congruent with previous validations of the CPOT with homogeneous samples and show that it is possible to validate a tool with a heterogeneous sample. Further research should be done to improve pain assessment and treatment in ICU patients with delirium. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The German CPOT version can be recommended for ICUs in German-speaking countries.

Depression and anxiety in relatives of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients: Results of a prospective observational study.

PURPOSE: Relatives of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) may suffer from adverse psychological outcomes. We assessed prevalence and risk factors for depression and anxiety in such relatives 90 days after ICU admission. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included consecutive relatives of OHCA patients admitted to the ICU of University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland. Relatives were interviewed upon admission regarding psychosocial risk factors and satisfaction with communication. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) 90 days after inclusion. RESULTS: Of 101 included relatives, 17% and 13% of relatives reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively. Witnessing cardiopulmonary resuscitation was associated with depression (gender- and age-adjusted odds ratio [OR] 6.71; 95%CI 1.27 to 35.34; p = .025). Satisfaction with information and decision-making was associated with lower risk of depression (adjusted OR 0.95; 95%CI 0.91 to 0.99; p = .013). Unemployment (adjusted OR 10.42; 95%CI 1.18 to 92.35; p = .035) and lower perceived health status were associated with anxiety (adjusted OR 0.93; 95%CI 0.87 to 0.99; p = .025). CONCLUSIONS: Many relatives of OHCA patients report symptoms of depression and anxiety after 90 days. Improving initial care and communication may help to reduce these risks.