Prognostication after Cardiac Arrest
Prognostication after Cardiac Arrest
- One must first exclude confounding factors e.g. interference from residual sedation, opioids or muscle relaxants, or the effect of hypothermia from TTM
- In a comatose patient with a motor score ≤3 at 72hrs post-ROSC, poor outcome is likely when there are two or more of:
| Test | Response | Timeframe |
| Pupillary or corneal reflex | Absent | 72hrs |
| N-20 SSEP wave | Absent | 24hrs |
| EEG | Highly malignant e.g. suppressed background ± periodic discharges Or, burst suppression |
>24hrs |
| Neuron-specific enolase | >60μg/L | 48-72hrs |
| Status myoclonus (Any myoclonus) |
Present (Present) |
72hrs (Within 96hrs) |
| CT or MRI brain | Diffuse, extensive anoxic injury |