PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG) IN ANOXIC ENCEPHALOPATHY AFTER CARDIOPULMONARY-RESUSCITATION - RELATIONSHIP AMONG ANOXIC PERIOD, EEG GRADING AND OUTCOME

We studied the prognostic applicability of electroencephalograms (EEGs ) of seventy-nine patients within 24 hours after successful cardiopulm onary resuscitation. The EEGs were classified into five grades accordi ng to a modified Hockaday's scale. The EEGs of grades I and II implied full recovery, while those of grade III gave a varied but generally u nfavorable prognosis. Patients with grades IV and V EEGs survived in a vegetative condition or died without awakening. Eighteen patients sho wed EEG with periodic patterns, all of which led to a fatal or vegetat ive outcome. One case showed EEGs associated with periodic triphasic w aves and repetitive sharp transients in the same record. Several cases showed EEGs with different periodic patterns in consecutive records. We conclude that an EEG is a good indicator of patient prognosis after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, the clinical significance of morphological differences of various periodic patterns that can occur during an EEG remains to be established.