Relevance of Seizure with Mortality and Neurologic Prognosis of Out of Hospital Cardiopulmonary Arrest (OHCA) Patients Who had Treated with Therapeutic Hypothermia after Return of Spontaneous Circulation

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate relevance of postanoxic seizure with prognosis in cases of out-of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients treated with TH and to research the prognostic role of portable electroencephalography (EEG). METHODS: A total of 180 OHCA patients arrived during July of 2008 and June of 2011, and 144 patients who had been treated with therapeutic hypothermia were included in this study. Portable EEG was taken 24 hours after induction of TH and classified by the attending neurologist. As an outcome variable, overall mortality and neurological outcome after six months from discharge were evaluated (Good neurological outcome; Cerebral performance category (CPC) scale 1, 2, Poor neurological outcome; CPC scale 3~5). RESULTS: Among 144 patients, 93 patients (63.9%) were male, and mean age was 51. Eighty two patients (56.9%) survived and almost 30% (43/144) of patients had a good neurological outcome. Sixty five patients (45.1%) had seizures, and, among this group, 19 patients (29.2%) were discharged with a good neurological outcome. No statistical difference was observed between the seizure group and the non-seizure group. Initial rhythm, APACHI II score, and time from basic life support to return of spontaneous circulation (OR, 2.169; 95% CI, 1.158~4.063, OR 1.107; 95% CI 1.064~1.152, OR 1.014; 95% CI 1.006~1.022, respectively) showed statistical importance, however, the seizure group (OR, 0.67, 95% CI, 0.356~1.032, p=0.065) had no statistical relevance with mortality. Grading of EEG by the neurologist showed a positive association with neurological outcomes (p<0.001). Factors associated with good neurological outcome were VF/VT initial rhythm (p=0.005), cardiac cause of arrest (p=0.001), high initial body temperature (p<0.001), low APACHI II score (p=0.010), and shorter time interval between arrest from basic life support (p=0.005). CONCLUSION: In our study, the seizure group showed no relevance with mortality and prognosis. In hope of achieving a better outcome, careful treatment should be provided in cases of OHCA patients with seizure. Conduct of larger, prospective studies is needed.

Men Associated with Good Prognosis after Return of Spontaneous Circulation after Out-of Hospital Cardiac Arrest: a Retrospective Study in One Emergency Center / 대한구급학회지

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the gender factors associated with good or bad prognosis after return of spontaneous circulation after out-of hospital cardiac arrest. METHODS: The patients admitted to the intensive care unit after successful resuscitation after out-of hospital cardiac arrest were retrospectively identified and evaluated. Thirty days mortality after admission, and neurologic outcome at 6 months after hospital discharge (cerebral performance category [CPC]) were evaluated. RESULTS: One hundred forty-two patients were evaluated in this study; there were 101 males (71.1%). The median age was 52 years old (43-63). Thirty days after admission, 85 patients (59.9%) survived, 40 patients had a good neurologic outcome (CPC 1-2). The factors associated 30 days mortality were cause of arrest (non-cardiac, p = 0.03), lactate in emergency department (p = 0.05) and the factors associated with good neurologic outcome were males (p = 0.007), young age (p = 0.01), body weight and height (p = 0.001), cause of death (cardiac, p = 0.000). Alcohols and smoking were not associated with mortality and neurologic outcome. In multiple logistic regression analysis, men had a 8-fold increased good neurologic outcome (CPC 1-2) (odds ratio [OR] 8.038, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.079-59.903). Other factors associated with good neurologic outcome were cardiac cause of death (OR 5.523, 95% CI 1.562-19.533) and young age (OR 1.055, 95% CI 1.009-1.103). CONCLUSIONS: Men had a good neurologic outcome after return of spontaneous circulation after out-of hospital cardiac arrest in one emergency center. Other additional factors including gonadal hormones should be evaluated.

The Efficacy of Surface and Endovascular Cooling Methods During Therapeutic Hypothermia after Cardiac Arrest

PURPOSE: According to the 2005 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care, unconscious adult patients with ROSC after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest should be cooled to between 32degrees C and 34degrees C for 12 to 24 hours. Two recent randomized controlled trials that included comatose survivors of cardiac arrest have documented that therapeutic hypothermia improved the neurological recovery. (ED note: Newer cooling devices have recently been introduced, such as endovascular...?)We have introduced newer devices, such as endovascular cooling devices, so we compared endovascular cooling with the previously used surface cooling Methods. METHODS: This is a cohort study of patients with ROSC (>24hours) after cardiac arrest and who were admitted to the intensive care unit in a tertiary hospital over a twentyeight month period from September 2006 to December 2008 and they had received therapeutic hypothermia. The patients'baseline characteristics, the mortality, the neurologic outcomes, the side effects during therapeutic hypothermia and other factors were evaluated according to the cooling methods. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients were included over a 28 month period. Surface cooling methods were used in 37 patients, and endovascular cooling methods were used in 38 patients. There were no significant differences of the mortality and the neurologic outcome according to the cooling methods (p=0.973, 0.937). The time from collapse to reaching therapeutic hypothermia was 587.14+/-384.18 minutes for surface cooling and 496.24+/-213.83 minutes for endovascular cooling (p=0.105). The rewarming time was 451.09+/-229.93 minutes and 802.38+/-209.09 minutes for each cooling method, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.002). There were no significant differences of the side effects during therapeutic hypothermia between the surface and endovascular cooling methods. CONCLUSION: Endovascular cooling methods are useful to maintain the target temperature within a narrower range and these methods have the advantage of automatic feedback control of the temperature and controlled rewarming. There were no significant differences in mortality, the neurologic outcome and other side effects between the surface and endovascular cooling methods during therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest.

Effect of Diazepam on the Expression of Transforming Growth Factor-Beta in Rat Brain Following Transient Cerebral Ischemia / 대한뇌혈관외과학회지

OBJECT: Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is involved in many physiological and pathophysiological processes, such as cell growth, differentiation, inflammation, and tissue repair. It is not yet clear whether the presence of this cytokine has deleterious or protective effects for neurons in a given pathophysiological condition. Several authors have demonstrated that TGF-beta has been shown to rescue cultured neurons from excitotoxic and hypoxic cell death and to reduce infarct size after focal cerebral ischemia in mice and rabbits. The present study investigated the effect of diazepam on the expression of TGF-beta in rat brain tissue after inducing transient cerebral ischemia. METHODS: Ten male rats were killed after a mild and reversible ischemic damage produced by a 15-minutes occlusion of both carotid arteries without occlusion of the vertebral arteries. Five ischemia-treated and 5 sham-operated rats were injected with 10 mg/kg diazepam and vehicle, respectively at 30 minutes, and again 90 minutes following the onset of reperfusion. After 1, 2 and 7 days following the reperfusion, brains were removed from control, sham-operated, and ischemia-treated with or without diazepam-injected groups, then immunohistochemistry and Western blotting for TGF-beta were performed. Cerebral cortices and hippocampi were sectioned from ischemia-treated, shamoperated and control group rats, and stained using cresyl violet. RESULTS: When the immunoblot-results of TGF-beta expression were analyzed using a image analysis system, TGF-beta expression were increased in ischemia-treated without diazepam-injected rats, and decreased in ischemia-treated with diazepam-injected rats at 2 and 7 days after reperfusion compared to control and sham-operated groups. Cresyl violet staining became intense in ischemia-treated without diazepam-injected group and became unclear in ischemia-treated with diazepam-injected group compared to sham-operated and control groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: Diazepam influenced the TGF-beta expression in the brain of ischemia-treated rats.