Among 416 OHCA survivors discharged from hospital (enrolled July 2021–August 2024 in the multicenter German Cardiac Arrest Registry), standardized assessments of cognition (Mini-MoCA), health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L), psychological distress (HADS, PTSS-14), and reintegration (RNLI) were conducted at 6- and 12-month follow-up.
Cognitive impairment was present in 30.5% at 6 months and 33.6% at 12 months. HRQoL was near age-matched German norms (EQ-5D index ~0.83–0.84). PTSS-14 scores stayed below the PTSD threshold at both timepoints, but 13% had abnormal depressive symptom scores on HADS.
- Large drop from 416 hospital survivors to 307 with 12-month data raises concern for survivor or responder bias. - Self-reported outcomes may underestimate deficits in those with significant cognitive impairment. - No control group, so pre-arrest baseline functioning is unknown.
Screen OHCA survivors for cognitive impairment and depression at follow-up visits — roughly 1 in 3 will have cognitive deficits and 1 in 8 will have clinically significant depressive symptoms, even when overall quality of life appears preserved. Structured long-term follow-up programs should be a standard part of post-cardiac arrest care.
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