Factors influencing outcome in patients with cardiac arrest in the ICU

Background Post-arrest variables associated with long-term survival after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients remain unclear. This study was designed to identify pre- and intra-arrest factors associated with survival 3 months after CPR in ICU patients and to identify post-arrest factors associated with long-term survival in those who survived 24h after CPR. Methods A total of 131 ICU patients undergoing CPR from January 2009 to June 2010 were included. Data were retrospectively analysed and categorized based on the Utstein template. Results The overall survival rate 3 months after CPR was 20.6%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II score (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, 0.87 [0.83-0.93]; P<0.001), ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF, 5.55 [1.55-19.83]; P=0.032), and normoxia during CPR (4.45 [1.34-14.71]; P=0.045) were significant independent pre- and intra-arrest predictors of 3-month survival after CPR in ICU patients. Fifty-seven patients survived 24h after CPR, and their 3-month survival rate was 47.4%. Early enteral nutrition (9.94 [1.96-50.43]; P=0.030) and normoxia after return of spontaneous circulation (10.75 [2.03-55.56]; P=0.030) were predictive of 3-month survival in patients who survived 24h after CPR. Conclusions Normoxia during CPR and VT/VF were predictors of long-term survival after CPR in ICU patients. In patients surviving 24h after CPR, initiation of enteral nutrition within 48h and maintenance of normoxia were associated with a positive outcome.