Predictive power of serum NSE and OHCA score regarding 6-month neurologic outcome after out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation and therapeutic hypothermia

SummaryAim of the studyTo determine the predictive power of the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) score and serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in patients resuscitated from ventricular fibrillation treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH) and glucose control.MethodsAn analysis of prospectively collected data of 90 TH patients. Serum NSE was measured at 24 and 48 h. Outcome was measured by neurologic exam 6 months after cardiac arrest with good outcome defined as a Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) of 1 or 2.ResultsIn multiple logistic regression analysis, age (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval 1.1 [1.03–1.18]/year), NSE at 48 h (OR 1.1 [1.02–1.26]/μg/l), and increase in NSE levels (OR 7.2 [1.7–31.3]) were predictors of poor outcome, but the OHCA score was not. Cut-off points with 100% specificity in predicting poor outcome were 33 μg/l for NSE at 48 h (sensitivity 43% [28–60%]) and 6.4 μg/l for delta NSE 24–48 h (sensitivity 44% [28–60%]).ConclusionIncrease in NSE between 24 and 48 h and NSE at 48 h is specific but only moderately sensitive markers of 6-month outcome. Outcome prediction at ICU admission using the OHCA score was not possible in this selected patient population.