INTRODUCTION

Patients’ quality of life (QoL) after having survived a cardiac arrest hasbeen reported negatively influenced or acceptable to good [1–3]. Feelings of anxiety anddepression are present in CA patients [3] and depressions have been shown to be related toQoL [4]. There is little known, however about changes over time in anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after surviving CA treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate if there were any changes and correlation in anxiety, depression and HRQoL from hospital discharge until one and 6 months after CA in patients treated with TH.

OBJECTIVES

During a 4-year period at three hospitals in Sweden, 26 patients were prospectively included after CA treated with TH.

METHODS

The patients answered the questionnaires Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Euroqol (EQ5D), Euroqol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) and Short Form12 (SF12) at three occasions; in connection with hospital discharge, and at one and 6 months after CA.

RESULTS

There was improvement over time in HRQoL, in EQ5D index (p=0.002) and SF12 physical component score (PCS) (p=0.005). Changes over time in anxiety and depression were not found. Seventy-three percentages scored overall health status with EQ-VAS below 70 (scale 0–100) at discharge from hospital and at 6 months this was found in 41 %. Physical problems were most common cause of affected HRQoL. Correlation was found between depression and HRQoL and this was strongest at 6 months (rs=-0.44 to-0.71,pB0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

HRQoL are affected negatively in patients after CA treated with TH, but improvement over the first 6 months can be seen. The patients scored lower self-reported levels of HRQoL in physical than in mental components. The result indicates that time is an important factor and patients may require more support the first time after discharge from hospital.

REFERENCE(S)

1. Torgersen J, Strand K, Bjelland TW, et al. Cognitive dysfunction and health-related quality of life after a cardiac arrest and therapeutic hypothermia. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2010;54:721–8. 2. Horsted TI, Rasmussen LS, Meyhoff CS and Nielsen SL. Long-term prognosis after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Resuscitation. 2007;72:214–8.3. Wachelder EM, Moulaert VR, van Heugten C, Verbunt JA, Bekkers SC and Wade DT. Life after survival: long-term daily functioning and quality of life after an out-of-hospitalcardiac arrest. Resuscitation. 2009;80:517–22. 4. Moulaert VR, Wachelder EM, Verbunt JA, Wade DT and van Heugten CM. Determinants of quality of life in survivors of cardiac arrest. J Rehabil Med. 2010;42:553–8.