Outcome from therapeutic hypothermia and EEG

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to characterize the significance of EEG findings during therapeutic hypothermia. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed continuous EEG monitoring data of every patient treated with therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest from January 2008 to December 2009. EEG data were correlated with a functional outcome at the time of discharge. RESULTS: Data from 26 patients (14 men and 12 women) were reviewed. All the patients were treated with therapeutic hypothermia. The mean age was 60.3 years. The initial EEG background was severely depressed in 13 patients, suppression-burst pattern was present in 4 patients, alpha or theta coma pattern was present in 2 patients, generalized slow-wave activity was present in 3 patients, and generalized periodic epileptiform discharges were present in 4 patients. Epileptiform activity was present in 10 patients (38.5%). Initial background activity with generalized slow-wave activity correlated with better prognosis compared with other types of background activity (P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients (20 of 26) had poor outcomes despite therapeutic hypothermia. Continuous EEG background with generalized slow-wave activity correlated with survival and better prognosis in this study.