Clinical PaperCognitive problems in patients in a cardiac rehabilitation program after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

ObjectiveEstimate prevalence of cognitive problems due to hypoxic brain injury in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors referred for cardiac rehabilitation and association with quality of life as well as autonomy and participation.DesignProspective cohort study.Method/designConsecutive OHCA patients. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) and Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) were administered 4 weeks after the OHCA. Cognitive problems were defined if MMSE <28, CFQ >32 or IQCODE >3.6. The Impact on Participation and Autonomy Questionnaire (IPAQ) (participation/autonomy), the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36) (quality of life) and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) (anxiety/depression) were administered. Correlations between cognitive problems and participation/autonomy and quality of life were calculated.Results63 of 77 patients were male (82%), median age 59 years (range 15-84). MMSE median 29 (interquartile range 28-30), CFQ mean 20.9 (SD 9.4) and IQCODE mean 3.1 (SD 0.2). Eighteen patients (23%) scored positive for cognitive problems. Significant correlations were found between MMSE and IPAQ: autonomy inside (r = −0.38), family role (r = −0.26), autonomy outside (r = −0.32), social relations (r = −0.38) and social functioning (r = 0.32). MMSE was related to SF-36: social functioning (r = 0.32). The CFQ was related to IPAQ: autonomy outdoors (r = 0.29) and SF-36: bodily pain (r = −0.37), vitality (r = −0.25), mental health (r = −0.35) and role emotional (r = −0.40). The IQCODE was related to IPAQ: autonomy indoors (r = 0.26) and to SF-36: vitality (r = −0.33) and social functioning (r = −0.41).ConclusionTwenty-three percent of the patients referred for cardiac rehabilitation showed cognitive problems. Associations were found between cognitive problems and several aspects of participation/autonomy and perceived quality of life.