Health-related quality of life among in-hospital cardiacarrest survivors

• Purpose: A cardiac arrest can cause brain injury with cognitive dysfunctions, emotional reactions and negative effects on activities in daily life. However, most research has focused on survival and the knowledge about health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among survivors is limited. In addition, almost all studies are performed in an out-of-hospital context. The aim of the current study was therefore to describe HRQoL among in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survivors.Methods: This study has a cross-sectional design. In collaboration with the Swedish national register for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, data was collected 3-6 months after resuscitation by using a questionnaire including EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and single questions on activities in daily life and mental/intellectual recovery. In addition, the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) was scored.Results: In total, 286 IHCA survivors with a mean age of 67±12 were included. A majority of the survivors were men (65%), had a cerebral function of CPC 1 (88%) and had no need of assistance from other people in daily life (70%). A large proportion of the survivors had not made a complete mental and/or intellectual recovery (34%), causing problems in daily life for 65% of them. Pain was the dimension in EQ-5D where most survivors reported problems of some degree (64%). Problems within the dimensions anxiety/depression and mobility were reported by more than half of the survivors (53% vs. 51%). In the dimensions personal care and activities in daily life problems were reported by less than half of the survivors (24% vs. 49%). The individual variations of present health measured by the EQ-VAS were substantial (range 0-100), with a mean value of 67±22. Symptoms of anxiety and depression (measured by HADS) were reported by 15% and 16% respectively.Conclusions: Although the majority of the IHCA survivors reported satisfactory HRQoL, the results indicate major individual differences, with a substantial group reporting serious problems. Our findings stress the importance of assessing HRQoL among IHCA survivors and the need of follow-up and structured post cardiac arrest care.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Health-related quality of life

in-hospital

cardiac arrest

survivors

Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems

Kardiologi

Natural Science

Naturvetenskap

Människan i vården

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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