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Employment status 1 year after out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest in comatose patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia
Author(s) -
KRAGHOLM K.,
SKOVMOELLER M.,
CHRISTENSEN A. L.,
FONAGER K.,
TILSTED H.H.,
KIRKEGAARD H.,
DE HAAS I.,
RASMUSSEN B. S.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/aas.12142
Subject(s) - medicine , hypothermia , incidence (geometry) , population , return of spontaneous circulation , emergency medicine , anesthesia , cardiopulmonary resuscitation , resuscitation , physics , environmental health , optics
Background Therapeutic hypothermia for comatose survivors of out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest ( OHCA ) has improved survival and neurologic outcome. This study focused on return to work 1 year after therapeutic hypothermia. Methods From J une 2004 to J une 2009, patients between 18 and 65 years of age with OHCA , who were treated with hypothermia from two regions, representing one third of the national population, were identified from the D anish N ational P atient R egistry, and from hospital and ambulance records. The patients' employment status was obtained from the D anish M inistry of E mployment. Results One hundred thirty‐three comatose patients after OHCA treated with hypothermia were identified. One hundred and four (78%) patients were employed, or able to work, at the time of cardiac arrest. This particular group of patients showed significant lower in‐hospital mortality compared to the group of patients who were not able to work before cardiac arrest; 13% vs. 48%, respectively ( P < 0.001). The workable group had a lower Charlson comorbidity score ( P = 0.004), a higher incidence of witnessed cardiac arrest ( P = 0.004) and a higher incidence of shockable heart rhythm ( P < 0.001). Eighty‐seven patients (84%), who were able to work prior to cardiac arrest, survived, and 55 (65%) of these patients were employed or able to work at 1 year follow‐up. Conclusion The majority of patients employed, or able to work prior to OHCA , had returned to work at one year follow‐up. Predictors of return to work in comatose patients treated with hypothermia have to be identified in a larger‐scale study.