Role of cranial computed tomography in prognosis in cases of cardiac arrest. hacettepe university faculty of medicine

Cardiac Arrest is the sudden loss of heart function in patients with or without a diagnosed heart disease. Every year more than 55.3 million cases of cardiac arrest are registered in Emergency Services around the world. Between January 1, 2000 and August 31, 2017 among the patients that had the Cranial CT scan following the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after the cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in Hacettepe University Adult Emergency Services, followings are retrospectively investigated: patients' demographic information, vital signs, blood gas results, CT results, and MRI results. Living conditions of patients are compared on 24-hour and 6-month bases, the statistical analysis covers 207 patients.The overall average age of the patients was 68,62 (19- 98), 39,1% (n = 81) and 60,9% (n = 126) of these patients were male and female respectively. Of the patients, 112 (54.4%) were in-hospital arrest cases. 147 patients (71%) developed cardiac arrest due to non-cardiac causes. The cardiac rhythm first detectedduring CPR of the patients was 8.7% shockable rhythms and 91.3% nonshockable rhythms. When the blood gas parameters of the patients were examined, high lactate level was associated with increased mortality in the first 24-hour survival (P = 0.003). The high value of pO2 in blood gases after CPR was associated with mortality in the first 24 hours (P = 0.040). There was no significant difference between the surviving and non-surviving patient groups when the BrANOS score was examined at 24-hour and 6-month survival. From CT scan findings, the most seen was atrophy (45.9%), followed by hypoxic edema (20.8%). When 24-hour and 6-month survival rates are investigated, dead patient rate were higher in male patients. The average life expectancy of patients is calculated as 11 days. The risk of death in patients with hypoxic edema was found to be increased by 2 times. MRI was performed in 26.6% of patients (n = 55). On MRI of patients with hypoxic edema, hypoxic edema was seen in 86% (p = 0.012). Keywords: Cardiac Arrest, Cranial Computed Tomography, Cardiac Arrest Prognosis, Emergency