Faculty Collaboration Database

Neurologic outcomes in pediatric cardiac arrest survivors enrolled in the THAPCA trials. Neurology 2018 Jul 10;91(2):e123-e131

Date

06/10/2018

Pubmed ID

29884735

Pubmed Central ID

PMC6053110

DOI

10.1212/WNL.0000000000005773

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85055650454 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   28 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To implement a standardized approach to characterize neurologic outcomes among 12-month survivors in the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest (THAPCA) trials.

METHODS: Two multicenter trials enrolled children age 48 hours to 18 years who remained comatose after cardiac arrest (CA) occurring out-of-hospital (THAPCA-OH, NCT00878644) or in-hospital (THAPCA-IH, NCT00880087); patients were randomized to therapeutic hypothermia or therapeutic normothermia. The primary outcome, survival with favorable 12-month neurobehavioral outcome (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales [VABS-II]), did not differ between treatment groups in either trial. Neurologists examined 181 12-month survivors, described findings using the novel semi-quantitative Pediatric Resuscitation after Cardiac Arrest (PRCA) form, and rated findings in 6 domains; scores ranged from 0 (no deficits) to 21 (maximal deficits). PRCA scores were compared with 12-month VABS-II scores and cognitive scores.

RESULTS: Neurologic outcome PRCA scores were classified as no/minimal impairment, PRCA 0-3, 81/179 (45%); mild impairment, PRCA 4-7, 24/179 (13%); moderate impairment, PRCA 8-11, 15/179 (8%); severe impairment, PRCA 12-16, 20/179 (11%); profound impairment, PRCA 17-21, 39/179 (21%) (2/181 incomplete). VABS-II scores correlated strongly with PRCA category (r = -0.88, p < 0.0001, Pearson correlation coefficient) and cognitive scores (r = -0.72, p < 0.0001). Factors associated with poor outcomes included out-of-hospital CA, seizure recognition in the early postarrest period, and poor neurologic status at hospital discharge.

CONCLUSION: The PRCA provides a robust method for depicting neurologic outcomes after acute encephalopathy caused by CA in children. It provides a global semiquantitative rating of neurologic impairment and domain-specific impairment. The strong correlation with well-established neurobehavioral outcome measures supports its validity over a broad age range and wide spectrum of outcomes.

Author List

Ichord R, Silverstein FS, Slomine BS, Telford R, Christensen J, Holubkov R, Dean JM, Moler FW, THAPCA Trial Group

Authors

Michael T. Meyer MD Chief, Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Martin K. Wakeham MD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Child
Child, Preschool
Coma
Female
Humans
Hypothermia, Induced
Infant
Male
Neurologic Examination
Neuropsychological Tests
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Survivors
Treatment Outcome