Bmc Cardiovasc Disor
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Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Jan 2008
A clinical and EEG scoring system that predicts early cortical response (N20) to somatosensory evoked potentials and outcome after cardiac arrest.
Anoxic coma following cardiac arrest is a common problem with ethical, social, and legal consequences. Except for unfavorable somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEP) results, predictors of unfavorable outcome with a 100% specificity and a high sensitivity are lacking. The aim of the current research was to construct a clinical and EEG scoring system that predicts early cortical response (N20) to somatosensory evoked potentials and 6-months outcome in comatose patients after cardiac arrest. ⋯ A scoring system based on a combination of clinical and EEG findings can predict the absence of early cortical response to SSEPs. In settings without access to SSEPs, this score may help decision-making in a subset of comatose survivors after a cardiac arrest.
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Most studies documenting beneficial outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CE) are limited to mortality and morbidity rates, costs, and length of hospital stay (LOS). Few have examined the dependency of patients and how they perceive their own health changes after surgery. The aim of the present study was to evaluate quality of life and independence in activities of daily living (ADL) and to study its determinants. ⋯ Patients undergoing CE have improved self-perception of quality of life despite being more dependent. Almost all their scores are worse than those in an urban population. We could identify no predictors of greater dependency in ADL tasks six months after PACU discharge.
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Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Jan 2008
Rapid short-duration hypothermia with cold saline and endovascular cooling before reperfusion reduces microvascular obstruction and myocardial infarct size.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the combination of a rapid intravenous infusion of cold saline and endovascular hypothermia in a closed chest pig infarct model. ⋯ Rapid hypothermia with cold saline and endovascular cooling before reperfusion reduces myocardial infarct size and microvascular obstruction. A novel finding is that hypothermia at the onset of reperfusion reduces microvascular obstruction without reducing myocardial infarct size. Intravenous administration of cold saline combined with endovascular hypothermia provides a method for a rapid induction of hypothermia suggesting a potential clinical application.
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Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Jan 2007
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyActivity and Life After Survival of a Cardiac Arrest (ALASCA) and the effectiveness of an early intervention service: design of a randomised controlled trial.
Cardiac arrest survivors may experience hypoxic brain injury that results in cognitive impairments which frequently remain unrecognised. This may lead to limitations in daily activities and participation in society, a decreased quality of life for the patient, and a high strain for the caregiver. Publications about interventions directed at improving quality of life after survival of a cardiac arrest are scarce. Therefore, evidence about effective rehabilitation programmes for cardiac arrest survivors is urgently needed. This paper presents the design of the ALASCA (Activity and Life After Survival of a Cardiac Arrest) trial, a randomised, controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effects of a new early intervention service for survivors of a cardiac arrest and their caregivers. ⋯ The results of this study will provide evidence on the effectiveness of this early intervention service, as well as the cost-effectiveness and its feasibility.
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Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Jan 2007
Randomized Controlled TrialThe incidence of myocardial injury following post-operative Goal Directed Therapy.
Studies suggest that Goal Directed Therapy (GDT) results in improved outcome following major surgery. However, there is concern that pre-emptive use of inotropic therapy may lead to an increased incidence of myocardial ischaemia and infarction. ⋯ The use of post-operative GDT does not result in an increased incidence of myocardial injury.