CARDIOPULMONARY-RESUSCITATION - A RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW

The outcome of patients admitted to intensive care after a cardiac arr est was determined by reviewing intensive care unit records at four ho spitals for 1993 and 1994. Of the 112 patients identified, 49 survived intensive care of whom 28 were discharged from hospital. In January 1 996, 26 of the 28 patients could be traced; 22 of these were still ali ve. Seven factors were significantly different between survivors and n onsurvivors. At the cardiac arrest these were the number of direct cur rent shocks (p < 0.05) and adrenaline doses (p < 0.01) given. In inten sive care the factors were the presence of reactive pupils (p < 0.01), Glasgow Coma Score (p < 0.001), APACHE II score (p < 0.05), arterial standard bicarbonate (p < 0.05) and the use of inotropes (p < 0.05). I t was not possible to use individual variables to predict outcome at t he time of intensive care unit admission. The results suggest that neu rological function is an important determinant of outcome and more sen sitive neurophysiological testing might be a useful prognostic tool.