• Catherine V M Steinbusch and Caroline M van Heugten.
• Adelante, Centre of Expertise in Rehabilitation and Audiology, Zandbergsweg 111, 6432 CC Hoensbroek, The Netherlands.
• Resuscitation. 2017 Nov 1; 120: 132-137.

BackgroundCardiac arrest can lead to hypoxic brain injury, which can affect cognitive functioning.ObjectiveTo investigate the course of objective and subjective cognitive functioning and their association during the first year after cardiac arrest.MethodsA multi-centre prospective longitudinal cohort study with one year follow-up (measurements at two weeks, three months and one year). Cognitive functioning was measured with a neuropsychological test battery and subjective cognitive functioning with the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire.Results141 cardiac arrest survivors participated. Two weeks post cardiac arrest 16% to 29% of survivors were cognitively impaired varying on the different tests, at three months between 9% and 23% and at one year 10%-22% remained impaired with executive functioning being affected most. Significant reduction of cognitive impairments was seen for all tests, with most recovery during the first three months after cardiac arrest. Subjective cognitive complaints were present at two weeks after cardiac arrest in 11%, 12% at three months and 14% at one year. There were no significant associations between cognitive impairments and cognitive complaints at any time point.ConclusionsCognitive impairments are common in cardiac arrest survivors with executive functioning being mostly affected. Most recovery is seen in the first three months after cardiac arrest. After one year, a substantial number of patients remain impaired, especially in executive functioning. Because of absence of associations between impairments and complaints, cognitive testing using a sensitive test battery is important and should be part of routine follow-up after a cardiac arrest.Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

3 keywords...

hide…